Results of the Technical Validation of an Accessible Contact Manager for Mobile Devices

The apparition of new mobile phones operating systems often leads to a flood of mobile applications rushing into the market without taking into account needs of the most vulnerable users groups: the people with disabilities. The need of accessible applications for mobile is very important especially when it comes to access basic mobile functions such as making calls through a contact manager. This paper presents the technical validation process and results of an Accessible Contact Manager for mobile phones as a part of the evaluation of accessible applications for mobile phones for people with disabilities.

A matrix pencil approach to the existence of compactly supported reconstruction functions in average sampling

The aim of this work is to solve a question raised for average sampling in shift-invariant spaces by using the well-known matrix pencil theory. In many common situations in sampling theory, the available data are samples of some convolution operator acting on the function itself: this leads to the problem of average sampling, also known as generalized sampling. In this paper we deal with the existence of a sampling formula involving these samples and having reconstruction functions with compact support. Thus, low computational complexity is involved and truncation errors are avoided. In practice, it is accomplished by means of a FIR filter bank. An answer is given in the light of the generalized sampling theory by using the oversampling technique: more samples than strictly necessary are used. The original problem reduces to finding a polynomial left inverse of a polynomial matrix intimately related to the sampling problem which, for a suitable choice of the sampling period, becomes a matrix pencil. This matrix pencil approach allows us to obtain a practical method for computing the compactly supported reconstruction functions for the important case where the oversampling rate is minimum. Moreover, the optimality of the obtained solution is established.

A Web Implementation of A Generalized NEP

The Networks of Evolutionary Processors (NEPs) are computing mechanisms directly inspired from the behavior of cell populations more specifically the point mutations in DNA strands. These mechanisms are been used for solving NP-complete problems by means of a parallel computation postulation. This paper describes an implementation of the basic model of NEP using Web technologies and includes the possibility of designing some of the most common variants of it by means the use of the web page design which eases the configuration of a given problem. It is a system intended to be used in a multicore processor in order to benefit from the multi thread use.

Leader Rural Development Program in Spain: Profile and Functions of Workers in Local Action Groups.

Occupations in the labor market are linked with to a minimum basic training and other capacities. Hired workers should be able to accomplish required functions related to their specific job. Regarding the rural development labor market, local action groups? workers have defined performance areas?projects, strategy, organization and training & market?but specific functions within each of these areas are not as clearly defined. Neither both, basic training and capacities needed to perform each job profile within the local action group are defined. This communication analyses training and other capacities linked to each of the job profiles within the local action group. Functions within each of the performance areas previously defined are also analyzed regarding the job profiles.

A new similarity function for generalized trapezoidal fuzzy numbers

Numerous authors have proposed functions to quantify the degree of similarity between two fuzzy numbers using various descriptive parameters, such as the geometric distance, the distance between the centers of gravity or the perimeter. However, these similarity functions have drawback for specific situations. We propose a new similarity measure for generalized trapezoidal fuzzy numbers aimed at overcoming such drawbacks. This new measure accounts for the distance between the centers of gravity and the geometric distance but also incorporates a new term based on the shared area between the fuzzy numbers. The proposed measure is compared against other measures in the literature.

Variable structure control with chattering elimination and guaranteed stability for a generalized T-S model

In this paper, a fuzzy based Variable Structure Control (VSC) with guaranteed stability is presented. The main objective is to obtain an improved performance of highly non-linear unstable systems. The main contribution of this work is that, firstly, new functions for chattering reduction and error convergence without sacrificing invariant properties are proposed, which is considered the main drawback of the VSC control. Secondly, the global stability of the controlled system is guaranteed.The well known weighting parameters approach, is used in this paper to optimize local and global approximation and modeling capability of T-S fuzzy model.A one link robot is chosen as a nonlinear unstable system to evaluate the robustness, effectiveness and remarkable performance of optimization approach and the high accuracy obtained in approximating nonlinear systems in comparison with the original T-S model. Simulation results indicate the potential and generality of the algorithm. The application of the proposed FLC-VSC shows that both alleviation of chattering and robust performance are achieved with the proposed FLC-VSC controller. The effectiveness of the proposed controller is proven in front of disturbances and noise effects.

Variable structure control with chattering reduction of a generalized T-S model

In this paper, a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) based variable structure control (VSC) is presented. The main objective is to obtain an improved performance of highly non-linear unstable systems. New functions for chattering reduction and error convergence without sacrificing invariant properties are proposed. The main feature of the proposed method is that the switching function is added as an additional fuzzy variable and will be introduced in the premise part of the fuzzy rules; together with the state variables. In this work, a tuning of the well known weighting parameters approach is proposed to optimize local and global approximation and modelling capability of the Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy model to improve the choice of the performance index and minimize it. The main problem encountered is that the T-S identification method can not be applied when the membership functions are overlapped by pairs. This in turn restricts the application of the T-S method because this type of membership function has been widely used in control applications. The approach developed here can be considered as a generalized version of the T-S method. An inverted pendulum mounted on a cart is chosen to evaluate the robustness, effectiveness, accuracy and remarkable performance of the proposed estimation approach in comparison with the original T-S model. Simulation results indicate the potential, simplicity and generality of the estimation method and the robustness of the chattering reduction algorithm. In this paper, we prove that the proposed estimation algorithm converge the very fast, thereby making it very practical to use. The application of the proposed FLC-VSC shows that both alleviation of chattering and robust performance are achieved.

Searching for a consensus similarity function for generalized trapezoidal fuzzy numbers

There is controversy regarding the use of the similarity functions proposed in the literature to compare generalized trapezoidal fuzzy numbers since conflicting similarity values are sometimes output for the same pair of fuzzy numbers. In this paper we propose a similarity function aimed at establishing a consensus. It accounts for the different approaches of all the similarity functions. It also has better properties and can easily incorporate new parameters for future improvements. The analysis is carried out on the basis of a large and representative set of pairs of trapezoidal fuzzy numbers.

The Proper Generalized Decomposition With Application In Problems Of Dynamics

In this paper we address the new reduction method called Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD) which is a discretization technique based on the use of separated representation of the unknown fields, specially well suited for solving multidimensional parametric equations. In this case, it is applied to the solution of dynamics problems. We will focus on the dynamic analysis of an one-dimensional rod with a unit harmonic load of frequency (ω) applied at a point of interest. In what follows, we will present the application of the methodology PGD to the problem in order to approximate the displacement field as the sum of the separated functions. We will consider as new variables of the problem, parameters models associated with the characteristic of the materials, in addition to the frequency. Finally, the quality of the results will be assessed based on an example.

Design of a generalized tool for the performance assessment under sail based on analytical, numerical and empirical results : a global sailing yacht meta-model

La evaluación de las prestaciones de las embarcaciones a vela ha constituido un objetivo para ingenieros navales y marinos desde los principios de la historia de la navegación. El conocimiento acerca de estas prestaciones, ha crecido desde la identificación de los factores clave relacionados con ellas(eslora, estabilidad, desplazamiento y superficie vélica), a una comprensión más completa de las complejas fuerzas y acoplamientos involucrados en el equilibrio. Junto con este conocimiento, la aparición de los ordenadores ha hecho posible llevar a cabo estas tareas de una forma sistemática. Esto incluye el cálculo detallado de fuerzas, pero también, el uso de estas fuerzas junto con la descripción de una embarcación a vela para la predicción de su comportamiento y, finalmente, sus prestaciones. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo proporcionar una definición global y abierta de un conjunto de modelos y reglas para describir y analizar este comportamiento. Esto se lleva a cabo sin aplicar restricciones en cuanto al tipo de barco o cálculo, sino de una forma generalizada, de modo que sea posible resolver cualquier situación, tanto estacionaria como en el dominio del tiempo. Para ello se comienza con una definición básica de los factores que condicionan el comportamiento de una embarcación a vela. A continuación se proporciona una metodología para gestionar el uso de datos de diferentes orígenes para el cálculo de fuerzas, siempre con el la solución del problema como objetivo. Esta última parte se plasma en un programa de ordenador, PASim, cuyo propósito es evaluar las prestaciones de diferentes ti pos de embarcaciones a vela en un amplio rango de condiciones. Varios ejemplos presentan diferentes usos de PASim con el objetivo de ilustrar algunos de los aspectos discutidos a lo largo de la definición del problema y su solución . Finalmente, se presenta una estructura global de cara a proporcionar una representación virtual de la embarcación real, en la cual, no solo e l comportamiento sino también su manejo, son cercanos a la experiencia de los navegantes en el mundo real. Esta estructura global se propone como el núcleo (un motor de software) de un simulador físico para el que se proporciona una especificación básica. ABSTRACT The assessment of the performance of sailing yachts, and ships in general, has been an objective for naval architects and sailors since the beginning of the history of navigation. The knowledge has grown from identifying the key factors that influence performance(length, stability, displacement and sail area), to a much more complete understanding of the complex forces and couplings involved in the equilibrium. Along with this knowledge, the advent of computers has made it possible to perform the associated tasks in a systematic way. This includes the detailed calculation of forces, but also the use of those forces, along with the description of a sailing yacht, to predict its behavior, and ultimately, its performance. The aim of this investigation is to provide a global and open definition of a set of models and rules to describe and analyze the behavior of a sailing yacht. This is done without applying any restriction to the type of yacht or calculation, but rather in a generalized way, capable of solving any possible situation, whether it is in a steady state or in the time domain. First, the basic definition of the factors that condition the behavior of a sailing yacht is given. Then, a methodology is provided to assist with the use of data from different origins for the calculation of forces, always aiming towards the solution of the problem. This last part is implemented as a computational tool, PASim, intended to assess the performance of different types of sailing yachts in a wide range of conditions. Several examples then present different uses of PASim, as a way to illustrate some of the aspects discussed throughout the definition of the problem and its solution. Finally, a global structure is presented to provide a general virtual representation of the real yacht, in which not only the behavior, but also its handling is close to the experience of the sailors in the real world. This global structure is proposed as the core (a software engine) of a physical yacht simulator, for which a basic specification is provided.