Analytical Determination of Size and Location of Roadside Horizontal Sightline Offsets for Compound Curves

AASHTO’s guideline for geometric design of highways and similar guidelines require that roadside areas on the inside of horizontal curves be cleared of high objects to provide stopping sight distance. The guidelines have analytical models for determining the extent of clearance, known as the horizontal sightline offset or clearance offset, for simple curves. Researchers in the past have developed analytical models for clearance offsets for spiraled and reverse curves. Very few researchers developed analytical models for available sight distances for compound curves. Still missing are models for horizontal sightline offsets and locations of the offsets for compound curves. The objective of this paper is to present development of analytical models and charts for determining horizontal sightline offsets and their locations for compound curves. The paper considers curves whose component arcs are individually shorter than stopping sight distance. The resulting models and the charts have been verified with accurate values determined using graphical methods. The models and the charts will find application in geometric design of highway compound curves.

A Study of Zhang Peiji ＇ s English Version of The Sight of Father＇s Back

Mr.zhang peiji, a translator of The Sight of Father's Back, is a famous modern Chinese translation theorist and translator.He has made a great contribution to both translation theory and translation practice. His translation practice includes fictions, dramas, biography and essays. This paper is an attempt to make a study of Zhang Peiji's English version of The Sight of Father's Back.

A new method to determine the gravity field of small bodies from line-of-sight acceleration data

We present a new method to derive line-of-sight acceleration observables from spacecraft radio tracking data. The observables can be used to estimate the mass and gravity of a natural satellite as a spacecraft flyby. The corresponding observation model adapts to one-way and two/three-way tracking modes. As a test case for method validation and application, we estimated the mass and degree two gravity field for the Martian moon Phobos using simulated tracking data when the spacecraft Mars Express flew by Phobos on 2013 December 29. We have a few real tracking data during flyby and they will be used to confirm raw data simulation. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the method of line-of-sight acceleration reduction from raw tracking data and the feasibility to estimate mass and gravity of a natural satellite using this type of observable. This novel method is potentially applicable to planet and asteroid gravity field studies combined with Doppler tracking data.

Comparison of visual effects of FS-LASIK for myopia centered on the coaxially sighted corneal light reflex or the line of sight

AIM：To compare visual quality after femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis（FS-LASIK）,between the coaxially sighted corneal light reflex（CSCLR） group and conventional ablation line of sight（LOS） group.METHODS：In total,243 eyes（122 patients） were treated with centration on the CSCLR（visual axis） and 238 eyes（119 patients） treated with centration on the pupil center（LOS）.Postoperative outcomes [uncorrected visual acuity（UCVA）,best spectacle-corrected visual acuity（BSCVA）],safety index,efficacy index,refractive outcome,ablation center distance from the visual axis,corneal high-order aberrations,subjective discomfort glare and shadowing incidence rate,and contrast sensitivity at 1,3,and 6mo were measured and compared.RESULTS：The mean age was 27.77±7.1y in the CSCLR group and 26.03±7.70 y in the LOS group.Preoperatively,the manifest refraction spherical equivalent（MRSE） was-6.68±2.60 D in the CSCLR group and-6.65±2.68 D in the LOS group.The postoperative UCVA,BSCVA,MRSE（-0.03±0.263 D in the CSCLR group,-0.05±0.265 D in the LOS group）,efficacy index（1.04,1.03）,and safety index（1.09,1.08） were not significantly different between the groups（all P〉0.05）.In total,3% lost one line and more of BSCVA in the CSCLR group,as 9% in the LOS group postoperatively（P〈0.05）.The ablation center deviation was 0.20±0.15 mm from the visual axis（Pentacam system default setting;range,0-0.75 mm） in the CSCLR group,and 0.43±0.22 mm（range,0-1.32 mm） in the LOS group（P〈0.0001）.Statistically significant greater augmentationof total corneal higher-order aberrations（0.15±0.10 μm and 0.20±0.12 μm respectively,P=0.03） and vertical and horizontal coma（P〈0.0001） were noted in the LOS group.Subjective discomfort glare and shadowing incidence rates were 8.59% and 17.5% in the CSCLR and LOS groups,respectively（P〈0.05）.The 1-month postoperative contrast sensitivity visual acuity in the CSCLR group was significantly higher than that in the LOS group on contrast（100%,25%,10%） with a dark background,but there was no significant difference between the groups at 3 or 6m.CONCLUSION：Myopic LASIK centered on the CSCLR achieves significantly lower induction of loss of BSCVA,corneal high-order aberrations,and lower risk of subjective discomfort glare and shadowing,and lower decline in early contrast sensitivity by comparison with centration on the LOS,giving advantages in visual quality postoperatively.

基于TOF和自适应抗差卡尔曼滤波的UWB室内定位算法

为提高超宽带(UWB)定位系统在室内复杂环境下的定位精度,提出一种基于飞行时间(TOF)和自适应抗差卡尔曼滤波(ARKF)的改进定位算法。针对超低功耗宽带设备在复杂室内环境状态下易受周围干扰而存在标准时间偏差的问题,提出一种改进的TOF算法,同时进行测距标定,拟合数据;对室内存在非视距(NLOS)干扰的情形,提出一种ARKF算法,通过比较残差与3倍信息的方差来判断视距(LOS)与NLOS情形。实验结果显示:该算法可以在静态与动态定位实验中有效提高系统定位精度,降低定位误差,取得较好的定位效果。

Link Budget Design for RF Line-of-Sight via Theoretical Propagation Prediction

Line-of-sight (LOS) link planning condition has been observed to have effects on the atmospheric factor which cause crucial signal loss. The main objective of the planning was to improve a set of a link using point to point condition to assist the performance in emerging its strategy for handling the fixed WLAN service. The purpose of this paper is to provide a quick description of various propagation loss mechanisms on Link Budget Tool (LBT). LBT is customized to create point to point link for local area network (LAN) through radio frequency range operating between 2.400 GHz and 5.800 GHz. This software is able to define the effect of signal loss and expected performances according to the distances between link propagation conditions based on a number of system parameters.

An Optimization Approach of IoD Deployment for Optimal Coverage Based on Radio Frequency Model

Recently,Internet of Drones(IoD)has garnered significant attention due to its widespread applications.However,deploying IoD for area coverage poses numerous limitations and challenges.These include interference between neighboring drones,the need for directional antennas,and altitude restrictions for drones.These challenges necessitate the development of efficient solutions.This research paper presents a cooperative decision-making approach for an efficient IoDdeployment to address these challenges effectively.The primary objective of this study is to achieve an efficient IoDdeployment strategy thatmaximizes the coverage regionwhile minimizing interference between neighboring drones.In deployment problem,the interference increases as the number of deployed drones increases,resulting in bad quality of communication.On the other hand,deploying a few drones cannot satisfy the coverage demand.To accomplish this,an enhanced version of a concise population-based meta-heuristic algorithm,namely Improved Particle SwarmOptimization(IPSO),is applied.The objective function of IPSO is defined based on the coverage probability,which is primarily influenced by the characteristics of the antennas and drone altitude.A radio frequency(RF)model is derived to evaluate the coverage quality,considering both Line of Sight(LOS)and Non-Line of Sight(NLOS)down-link coverage probabilities for ground communication.It is assumed that each drone is equipped with a directional antenna to optimize coverage in a given region.Extensive simulations are conducted to assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach.Results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves maximum coverage with minimum transmission power.Furthermore,a comparison is made against Collaborative Visual Area Coverage Approach(CVACA),and a game-based approach in terms of coverage quality and convergence speed.The simulation results reveal that our approach outperforms both CVACA and the gamebased schemes in terms of coverage and convergence speed.Comparisons validate the superiority of our approach over existing methods.To assess the robustness of the proposed RFmodel,we have considered two distinct ranges of noise:range1 spanning from−120 to−90 dBm,and range2 spanning from−90 to−70 dBmfor different numbers of UAVs.In summary,this research presents a cooperative decision-making approach for efficient IoD deployment to address the challenges associatedwith area coverage and achieves an optimal coveragewithminimal interference.

Suitability of the Euler’s Spiral for Roadside Clearance in Order to Provide Stopping Sight Distances

The AASHTO’s guideline for geometric design, also known as the green book, requires that the inside of horizontal curves be cleared of obstructions to sight lines in order to provide sufficient sight distances. Recently, innovative use of Euler’s spiral for determination of clearance offsets has been proposed. However, suitability of the offsets as minimum criteria has not been evaluated. This paper presents comparison between the proposed offsets and minimum offsets determined with the computational method suggested in the green book. Results of comparison show that offsets determined with innovative use of the Euler’s spiral are always longer than minimum values determined with the computational method. The differences in lengths of the two sets of offsets increase with decrease in curve radii. Therefore, on sites with large radii offsets determined through innovative use of the Euler’s spiral may be implemented in the field since the offsets are only slightly longer than minimum offsets. On sites with short radii some offsets on tangent sections are very long such that they result in extra cleared areas that will not accommodate sightlines. The areas that do not accommodate sightlines may result in unnecessary extra earthwork costs where highways are located in cut zones. Additionally, it has been suggested in this paper that designers also consider other curves, including elliptical arcs, for roadside clearance envelopes. One advantage of elliptical arcs is that they are flexible to align with boundaries of clear zones on tangent sections regardless of sizes of radii of horizontal curves. Besides, most offsets to elliptical arcs are comparable to those determined with the green book’s computation method. An example of design chart has been presented for practitioners to use. The chart is for minimum offsets needed to provide a given sight distance while gradually transitioning clearance from boundaries of clear zones on tangent sections.

Review Paper on the Studies of Sight Translation and Sight Interpreting

Sight Translation is regarded as an indispensable skill prior to the study of Simultaneous Interpreting.And Sight Interpreting is employed in some settings like court interpreting and formal conferences.The importance of studying Sight Translation and Sight Interpreting is apparent.This paper reviews the previous literatures on the studies of Sight Translation and Sight Interpreting in the West and in China over the past four decades for attaining a full picture on the studies in this field.This paper focuses on the function and significance of studying Sight Translation and Sight Interpreting from both home and abroad.

Application of the sun line-of-sight vector in the optimal attitude estimation of deep-space probe

This paper proposed an optimal algorithm using the sun line-of-sight vector to improve the probe attitude estimation accuracy in deep-space mission.Firstly,the elaborate analysis of the attitude estimation error from vector observations was done to demonstrate that the geometric relation between the reference vectors is an important factor which influences the accuracy of attitude estimation.Then,with introduction of the sun line-of-sight vector,the attitude quaternion obtained from the star-sensor was converted into a pair of mutually perpendicular reference vectors perpendicular to the sun vector.The normalized weights were calculated according to the accuracy of the sensors.Furthermore,the optimal attitude estimation in the least squares sense was achieved with the quaternion estimation method.Finally,the results of simulation demonstrated the validity of the proposed optimal algorithm based on the practical data of the Deep Impact mission.

Locating the position of objects in non-line-of-sight based on time delay estimation

Non-line-of-sight imaging detection is to detect hidden objects by indirect light and intermediary surface（diffuser）.It has very important significance in indirect access to an object or dangerous object detection, such as medical treatment and rescue. An approach to locating the positions of hidden objects is proposed based on time delay estimation. The time delays between the received signals and the source signal can be obtained by correlation analysis, and then the positions of hidden objects will be located. Compared with earlier systems and methods, the proposed approach has some modifications and provides significant improvements, such as quick data acquisition, simple system structure and low cost, and can locate the positions of hidden objects as well： this technology lays a good foundation for developing a practical system that can be used in real applications.

可见光通信中HACO-OFDM系统的信道估计研究

针对可见光通信(VLC)中混合非对称幅度截断光正交频分复用(HACO-OFDM)系统中非视距路径(NLOS)信道会恶化可见光通信系统的误码性能,提出一种用于HACO-OFDM系统的信道估计方案。在该方案中,块状导频仅被添加到奇数子载波,通过联合最小二乘(LS)算法和三次样条插值获得完整的信道状态信息(CSI)。仿真结果表明,HACO-OFDM系统采用提出的信道估计方案后,显著改善了来自NLOS信道信号的误码性能。本方案实现简单,能够较准确的获取信道状态信息,可以提高NLOS场景下的可见光通信质量。

《The influence of institutional investors on myopic R&D investment behavior》述评

机构投资者作为证券市场中的重要力量,越来越受到理论界和实务界的关注。论文对宾夕法尼亚大学沃顿商学院会计学教授布赖恩-布希(Brian Bushee)的论文"The influence of institutional investors on myopic R&D investment behavior"(机构投资者对企业短视研发投资行为的影响,以下简称Bushee(1998))进行评价并提出相关的建议和研究方向。

Review of Ultraviolet Non-Line-of-Sight Communication

With rapid advances of solar blind ultraviolet LED and ultraviolet detecting technology in recent years, ultraviolet communication gradually becomes a research hotspot due to its inherent advantages: low solar background noise, non-line-of-sight(NLOS) and good secrecy. The strong scattering characteristics in atmospheric render ultraviolet waveband the ideal choice for achieving NLOS optical communication. This paper reviews the research history and status of ultraviolet communication both in China and abroad, and especially introduces three main issues of ultraviolet communication: channel model, system analysis and design, light sources and detectors. For each aspect, current open issues and prospective research directions are analyzed.

A Deep Learning-Based Recognition Approach for the Conversion of Multilingual Braille Images

Braille-assistive technologies have helped blind people to write,read,learn,and communicate with sighted individuals for many years.These technologies enable blind people to engage with society and help break down communication barriers in their lives.The Optical Braille Recognition(OBR)system is one example of these technologies.It plays an important role in facilitating communication between sighted and blind people and assists sighted individuals in the reading and understanding of the documents of Braille cells.However,a clear gap exists in current OBR systems regarding asymmetric multilingual conversion of Braille documents.Few systems allow sighted people to read and understand Braille documents for self-learning applications.In this study,we propose a deep learning-based approach to convert Braille images into multilingual texts.This is achieved through a set of effective steps that start with image acquisition and preprocessing and end with a Braille multilingual mapping step.We develop a deep convolutional neural network(DCNN)model that takes its inputs from the second step of the approach for recognizing Braille cells.Several experiments are conducted on two datasets of Braille images to evaluate the performance of the DCNN model.The rst dataset contains 1,404 labeled images of 27 Braille symbols representing the alphabet characters.The second dataset consists of 5,420 labeled images of 37 Braille symbols that represent alphabet characters,numbers,and punctuation.The proposed model achieved a classication accuracy of 99.28%on the test set of the rst dataset and 98.99%on the test set of the second dataset.These results conrm the applicability of the DCNN model used in our proposed approach for multilingual Braille conversion in communicating with sighted people.

Minimum Clearance Offsets for Providing Desired Stopping Sight Distances at Simple Curves with Variable Operating Speeds

Lateral clearance on the inside of horizontal curves is required by all geometric design guidelines in order to provide at least stopping sight distance. There already exist graphical models, analytical models, and design charts for determining minimum clearance offsets to meet the requirement. Some of these models determine the offsets based on constant design sight distance values on the assumption that drivers negotiate horizontal curves at constant speed. Therefore, those models are suitable for sites where there is no difference in speeds between tangent and curved sections. Past studies have reported that there are sites where drivers decelerate on entering horizontal curves and accelerate on departing from the curves. At those sites stopping sight distance for a given driver varies with driver location due to variable speed. This paper presents an analytical model and a chart for determining minimum offsets needed to provide desired sight distances at horizontal curves with variable operating speeds. At those sites the offsets yield roadside clearance boundaries that have transition arcs with performances that are similar to those of elliptical arcs. Therefore, practitioners may choose to use elliptical equations or equations and the chart developed herein. Results of this study will be of value to practitioners in the area of roadside design.

Efficiency Effect of Obstacle Margin on Line-of-Sight in Wireless Networks

Line-of-sight clarity and assurance are essential because they are considered the golden rule in wireless network planning,allowing the direct propagation path to connect the transmitter and receiver and retain the strength of the signal to be received.Despite the increasing literature on the line of sight with different scenarios,no comprehensive study focuses on the multiplicity of parameters and basic concepts that must be taken into account when studying such a topic as it affects the results and their accuracy.Therefore,this research aims to find limited values that ensure that the signal reaches the future efficiently and enhances the accuracy of these values’results.We have designed MATLAB simulation and programming programs by Visual Basic.NET for a semi-realistic communication system.It includes all the basic parameters of this system,taking into account the environment’s diversity and the characteristics of the obstacle between the transmitting station and the receiving station.Then we verified the correctness of the system’s work.Moreover,we begin by analyzing and studying multiple and branching cases to achieve the goal.We get several values from the results,which are finite values,which are a useful reference for engineers and designers of wireless networks.

UWB channel modeling for indoor line-of-sight environment

SV/IEEE 802.15.3a model has been the standard model for Ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) indoor non-line-of-sight (NLOS) wireless propagation,but for line-of-sight (LOS) case,it is not well defined. In this paper,a new statistical distribution model exclusively used for LOS environment is proposed based on investigation of the experimental data. By reducing the number of the visible random arriving clusters,the model itself and the parameters estimating of the corresponding model are simplified in comparison with SV/IEEE 802.15.3a model. The simulation result indicates that the proposed model is more accurate in modeling small-scale LOS environment than SV/IEEE 802.15.3a model when considering cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) for the three key channel impulse response (CIR) statistics.

Calculation of Probability of Cloud-Free Lines-of-Sightat Given Heights in Foshan, China

Based on Lund and Shanklin’s work (1972), methods of calculating Probability of Cloud-Free Lines-of-Sight (PCFLOS), Persistence Probability of Cloud-Free Lines-of-Sight (PPCFLOS) and Recurrence Probability of Cloud-free Lines-of-Sight (RPCFLOS) at given heights are presented. PCFLOS, PPCFLOS and RPCFLOS are calculated in Foshan, China by conventional observation data from 1961 to 1990. The conclusions are: (1) The higher the elevations, the smaller the PCFLOS and the larger the view angles, the larger the PCFLOS. (2) PPCFLOS and RPCFLOS decrease with the increase of elevation and the delay of time. (3) RPCFLOS is always equal to or larger than PPCFLOS at lag times.

Adaptive sliding-mode path following control system of the underactuated USV under the influence of ocean currents

The path-following control of the asymmetry underactuated unmanned surface vehicle(USV) under external disturbances such as unknown constant and irrational ocean currents is discussed, and an adaptive sliding-mode path-following control system is proposed, which comprises a path-variable updated law,a modified integral line-of-sight(ILOS) guidance law based on a time-varying lookahead distance and adaptive feedback linearizing controllers combined with sliding-mode technique. A more accurate USV model without the assumption of having diagonal inertia and damping matrices is first presented, aiming at improving the performance of the path-following control. Next, the coordinate transformation is adopted to decouple the sway dynamic from the rudder angle, and the path-following errors dynamics without non-singular problem are presented in the moving Frenet-Serret frame. Then, based on the cascaded theorem and the adaptive sliding-mode method, the adaptive control law of position errors and course error are designed, among which the lookahead distance and integral gain are all computed as different functions of cross-track error to estimate and compensate the sideslip angle caused by external disturbances adaptively. Finally, according to the Lyapunov and cascaded theorem, the control system proposed is proved to be uniform globally asymptotic stability(UGAS) and uniform semiglobal exponential stability(USGES) when the control objectives are all achieved. Simulation results illustrate the precision and high-quality performance of this new controller.