Parallel implementation of an adaptive generalized predictive control algorithm

The Adaptive Generalized Predictive Control (AGPC) algorithm can be speeded up using parallel processing. Since the AGPC algorithm needs to be fed with the knowledge of the plant transfer function, the parallelization of a standard Recursive Least Squares (RLS) estimator and a GPC predictor is discussed here.

Parallel implementation of an adaptive generalized predictive control algorithm

The Adaptive Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) algorithm can be speeded up using parallel processing. Since the GPC algorithm needs to be fed with knowledge of the plant transfer function, the parallelization of a standard Recursive Least Squares (RLS) estimator and a GPC predictor is discussed here.

Parallel implementation of a learning algorithm for multilayer perceptrons using transputers

In this paper the parallelization of a new learning algorithm for multilayer perceptrons, specifically targeted for nonlinear function approximation purposes, is discussed. Each major step of the algorithm is parallelized, a special emphasis being put in the most computationally intensive task, a least-squares solution of linear systems of equations.

Chromatographic analysis and comparison of chemical composition of the samples between olive oils in Europe and some chinese oils

Dissertação de mest., Qualidade em Análises, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Univ. do Algarve, 2013

Mögliche neue Strukturen im Ortsnetz und ihre minimale Länge

Auch für das Teilnehmeranschlußnetz werden neben dem heute üblichen „Sternnetz" neuerdings „Ring-" und „Verzweigungsnetze" genannt, und es wird die Frage diskutiert, ob damit geringere Kosten zu erwarten sind. Mit Begriffen der Graphentheorie werden hier z.B. die Strukturen Stern, Ring, Baum definiert. Ein gedachtes Ortsnetz wird dann in quadratische Bereiche mit der Seitenlänge l und mit M Teilnehmern aufgeteilt. Für verschiedene Strukturen des Leiternetzes in der Teilnehmerebene werden die Mindestlängen der Leiter und der Kabelkanäle berechnet. Unter anderem zeigt sich, daß unabhängig von der Struktur des Leiternetzes die Kabelkanäle, ein dominierender Kostenanteil in der Teilnehmerebene, praktisch gleich lang sind, nämlich l/M^0,5 je Teilnehmer.

A avaliação do impacto da formação : um estudo exploratório na Força Aérea

Tese de mestrado, Ciências da Educação (Avaliação em Educação), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Educação, 2010

Portuguese Citizens’ Support for Democracy: 40 Years after the Carnation Revolution

Forty years after the Carnation Revolution, the relatively young Portuguese democracy is experiencing dramatically low levels of public specific support for democracy. This article tests the leverage of demand-side and supply-side accounts to explain differentials in public satisfaction with democracy. Through ordinary least squares regression analyses that draw on the unique data of the ‘Barometer 40 Years of Democracy in Portugal (2014)’, this articles shows that age cohort, identification with extreme parties, evaluation of the country’s political past, and economic performance are strong correlates of citizens’ specific support for democracy

Geometria e perspectiva no ensino da Arquitectura : proposta de um exercício didático e transversal

Os anexos não se encontram disponíveis em formato digital, apenas poderão ser consultados na biblioteca da FBAUL : COTA TES 881

Identification of meat spoilage by FTIR spectroscopy and neural networks

Freshness and safety of muscle foods are generally considered as the most important parameters for the food industry. To address the rapid determination of meat spoilage, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technique, with the help of advanced learning-based methods, was attempted in this work. FTIR spectra were obtained from the surface of beef samples during aerobic storage at various temperatures, while a microbiological analysis had identified the population of Total viable counts. A fuzzy principal component algorithm has been also developed to reduce the dimensionality of the spectral data. The results confirmed the superiority of the adopted scheme compared to the partial least squares technique, currently used in food microbiology.

Conhecimento dos alunos sobre geometria no início do 3.º ciclo

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Educação Matemática na Educação Pré-Escolar e nos 1.º e 2.º Ciclos do Ensino Básico

PLSR Models for Mechanical Strengths of Concrete Composite Materials Reinforced with Pultrusion Wastes

In this paper, we present two Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) models for compressive and flexural strength responses of a concrete composite material reinforced with pultrusion wastes. The main objective is to characterize this cost-effective waste management solution for glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) pultrusion wastes and end-of-life products that will lead, thereby, to a more sustainable composite materials industry. The experiments took into account formulations with the incorporation of three different weight contents of GFRP waste materials into polyester based mortars, as sand aggregate and filler replacements, two waste particle size grades and the incorporation of silane adhesion promoter into the polyester resin matrix in order to improve binder aggregates interfaces. The regression models were achieved for these data and two latent variables were identified as suitable, with a 95% confidence level. This technological option, for improving the quality of GFRP filled polymer mortars, is viable thus opening a door to selective recycling of GFRP waste and its use in the production of concrete-polymer based products. However, further and complementary studies will be necessary to confirm the technical and economic viability of the process.

Coluna de som utilizando array de transdutores de ultrasons

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia de Electrónica e Telecomunicações

Extremum estimators and stochastic optimization methods

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the Requirements for the Degree of PhD in Mathematics, in the Speciality of Statistics in the Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

O papel das agências de rating e a dívida pública portuguesa

Durante as últimas décadas observou-se o crescimento da importância das avaliações fornecidas pelas agências de rating, sendo este um fator decisivo na tomada de decisão dos investidores. Também os emitentes de dívida são largamente afetados pelas alterações das classificações atribuídas por estas agências. Esta investigação pretende, por um lado, compreender se estas agências têm poder para conseguirem influenciar a evolução da dívida pública e qual o seu papel no mercado financeiro. Por outro, pretende compreender quais os fatores determinantes da dívida pública portuguesa, bem como a realização de uma análise por percentis com o objetivo de lhe atribuir um rating. Para a análise dos fatores que poderão influenciar a dívida pública, a metodologia utilizada é uma regressão linear múltipla estimada através do Método dos Mínimos Quadrados (Ordinary Least Squares – OLS), em que num cenário inicial era composta por onze variáveis independentes, sendo a dívida pública a variável dependente, para um período compreendido entre 1996 e 2013. Foram realizados vários testes ao modelo inicial, com o objetivo de encontrar um modelo que fosse o mais explicativo possível. Conseguimos ainda identificar uma relação inversa entre o rating atribuído por estas agências e a evolução da dívida pública, no sentido em que para períodos em que o rating desce, o crescimento da dívida é mais acentuado. Não nos foi, no entanto, possível atribuir um rating à dívida pública através de uma análise de percentis.

Comparing the performance of geostatistical models with additional information from covariates for sewage plume characterization

In this work, kriging with covariates is used to model and map the spatial distribution of salinity measurements gathered by an autonomous underwater vehicle in a sea outfall monitoring campaign aiming to distinguish the effluent plume from the receiving waters and characterize its spatial variability in the vicinity of the discharge. Four different geostatistical linear models for salinity were assumed, where the distance to diffuser, the west-east positioning, and the south-north positioning were used as covariates. Sample variograms were fitted by the Mat`ern models using weighted least squares and maximum likelihood estimation methods as a way to detect eventual discrepancies. Typically, the maximum likelihood method estimated very low ranges which have limited the kriging process. So, at least for these data sets, weighted least squares showed to be the most appropriate estimation method for variogram fitting. The kriged maps show clearly the spatial variation of salinity, and it is possible to identify the effluent plume in the area studied. The results obtained show some guidelines for sewage monitoring if a geostatistical analysis of the data is in mind. It is important to treat properly the existence of anomalous values and to adopt a sampling strategy that includes transects parallel and perpendicular to the effluent dispersion.