a constraint solver and its application to path feasibility analysis

Many testing methods are based on program paths. A well-known problem with them is that some paths are infeasible. To decide the feasibility of paths, we may solve a set of constraints. In this paper, we describe constraint-based tools that can be used for this purpose. They accept constraints expressed in a natural form, which may involve variables of different types such as integers, Booleans, reals and fixed-size arrays. The constraint solver is an extension of a Boolean satisfiability checker and it makes use of a linear programming package. The solving algorithm is described, and examples are given to illustrate the use of the tools. For many paths in the testing literature, their feasibility can be decided in a reasonable amount of time.

a real-time path planning approach without the computation of cspace obstacles

An important concept proposed in the early stage of robot path planning field is the shrinking of the robot to a point and meanwhile expanding of the obstacles in the workspace as a set of new obstacles. The resulting grown obstacles are called the Configuration Space (Cspace) obstacles. The find-path problem is then transformed into that of finding a collision free path for a point robot among the Cspace obstacles. However, the research experiences obtained so far have shown that the calculation of the Cspace obstacles is very hard work when the following situations occur: 1. both the robot and obstacles are not polygons and 2. the robot is allowed to rotate. This situation is even worse when the robot and obstacles are three dimensional (3D) objects with various shapes. Obviously a direct path planning approach without the calculation of the Cspace obstacles is strongly needed. This paper presents such a new real-time robot path planning approach which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first one in the robotic community. The fundamental ideas are the utilization of inequality and optimization technique. Simulation results have been presented to show its merits.

A shortest path algorithm for moving objects in spatial network databases

One of the most important kinds of queries in Spatial Network Databases (SNDB) to support location-based services (LBS) is the shortest path query. Given an object in a network, e.g. a location of a car on a road network, and a set of objects of interests, e.g. hotels,gas station, and car, the shortest path query returns the shortest path from the query object to interested objects. The studies of shortest path query have two kinds of ways, online processing and preprocessing. The studies of preprocessing suppose that the interest objects are static. This paper proposes a shortest path algorithm with a set of index structures to support the situation of moving objects. This algorithm can transform a dynamic problem to a static problem. In this paper we focus on road networks. However, our algorithms do not use any domain specific information, and therefore can be applied to any network. This algorithm’s complexity is O(klog2 i), and traditional Dijkstra’s complexity is O((i + k)2).

a shortest path algorithm for moving objects in spatial network databases

中国计算机学会

Species transformation of trace elements and their distribution prediction in dyestuff residue incineration

The release of heavy metals from the combustion of hazardous wastes is an environmental issue of increasing concern. The species transformation characteristics of toxic heavy metals and their distribution are considered to be a complex problem of mechanism. The behavior of hazardous dyestuff residue is investigated in a tubular furnace under the general condition of hazardous waste pyrolysis and gasfication. Data interpretation has been aided by parallel theoretical study based on a thermodynamic equilibrium model based on the principle of Gibbs free energy minimization. The results show that Ni, Zn, Mn, and Cr are more enriched in dyestuff residue incineration than other heavy metals (Hg, As, and Se) subjected to volatilization. The thermodynamic model calculation is used for explaining the experiment data at 800 degrees C and analyzing species transformation of heavy metals. These results of species transformation are used to predict the distribution and emission characteristics of trace elements. Although most trace element predictions are validated by the measurements, cautions are in order due to the complexity of incineration systems.

Analysis of the lateral displacement and optical path difference in wide-field-of-view polarization interference imaging spectrometer

The mechanism of beam splitting and principle of wide-field-of-view compensation of modified Savart polariscope in the wide-field-of-view polarization interference imaging spectrometer (WPIIS) are analyzed and discussed. Formulas for the lateral displacement and optical path difference (OPD) produced by the modified Savart polariscope are derived by ray-tracing method. The theoretical and practical guidance is thereby provided for the study, design, modulation, experiment and engineering of the polarization interference imaging spectrometers and other birefringent Fourier-transform spectrometers based on Savart polariscopes. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.