Automatic Train Research Articles

Optimal design of planetary gear train for automotive transmissions using advanced meta-heuristics

In this paper, nine recent meta-heuristics have been employed to search for optimal design of an automatic planetary gear train. The function of the designed system is to automatically transmit power and motion in automobiles. Nine mixed decision parameters are considered in the optimisation procedure. The geometric conditions such as the undercutting, the maximum overall diameter of the transmission, as well as the spacing of multiple planets are taken into account to ensure an optimum design. All the above algorithms are tested both quantitatively and qualitatively for solution quality, robustness, and their time complexity is determined. Results obtained illustrate that the utilised approaches can effectively solve the planetary gearbox problem. Besides this, the comparative study indicates that roulette wheel selection-elitist differential evolution (ReDE) outperforms the other algorithms in terms of the statistical results, and FA has the best convergence behaviour. Meanwhile, multi-verse optimisation (MVO) and butterfly optimisation algorithm (BOA) performed better than the other used algorithms when computation time was considered.

Brain-Machine Interface-Based Rat-Robot Behavior Control.

Brain-machine interface (BMI) provides a bidirectional pathway between the brain and external facilities. The machine-to-brain pathway makes it possible to send artificial information back into the biological brain, interfering neural activities and generating sensations. The idea of the BMI-assisted bio-robotic animal system is accomplished by stimulations on specific sites of the nervous system. With the technology of BMI, animals' locomotion behavior can be precisely controlled as robots, which made the animal turning into bio-robot. In this chapter, we reviewed our lab works focused on rat-robot navigation. The principles of rat-robot system have been briefly described first, including the target brain sites chosen for locomotion control and the design of remote control system. Some methodological advances made by optogenetic technologies for better modulation control have then been introduced. Besides, we also introduced our implementation of "mind-controlled" rat navigation system. Moreover, we have presented our efforts made on combining biological intelligence with artificial intelligence, with developments of automatic control and training system assisted with images or voices inputs. We concluded this chapter by discussing further developments to acquire environmental information as well as promising applications with write-in BMIs.

Огляд наявних і перспективних систем автоведення поїздів метрополітену

Огляд наявних і перспективних систем автоведення поїздів метрополітену

Combining the Matter-Element Model With the Associated Function of Performance Indices for Automatic Train Operation Algorithm

The automatic train operation which integrates knowledge-based intelligent algorithm to develop safe and efficient control system has become one of the most important developing directions in the field of railway transit equipment. Multi-objective optimization is a strictly incompatible problem, and such contradiction is one of the main reasons that lead to the best multi-objective optimization difficult to achieve. In this paper, the multi-objective optimization feature information is transformed into the association function first, and then the matter-element theory is introduced to establish models for the speed trajectory to achieve the multi-objective optimization to fuse knowledge-based safety requirement constrained condition. Performance indices weighting of different performance in different stages are determined with the Hierarchical Mahalanobis distance method, and the decision speeds are calculated with goodness evaluation method. Taking Shanghai Railway Transit Equipment in China as a case study, this paper selected the multi-objective performance indices including passenger comfort, running stability, energy efficiency, and parking accuracy as objectives to support the decision-making. The multi-objective performance indices are evaluated by a field investigation and simulation. The test result shows that the comfort level, running stability, energy saving property, and parking accuracy are better than those derived by the traditional control algorithm. It indicates that the model has the advantage that it conveniently quantifies the qualitative indices, and it can integrate the data source information to improve the multi-objective performance indices, so that it is very useful to apply multi-source data and prior knowledge to multi-objective optimization of the automatic train operation control system.

Realiaof accounting automation in agricultural enterprises of Ukraine

Accountancy is an integral part of any enterprise functioning. But it is impossible to keep an accounting without using a computer and software in modern economic conditions. Nowadays, the introduction of sanctions against the manufacturer and a number of dealers of one of the most popular software products, «1S: Accounting» introduced the problem of choosing accounting software before a considerable number of business entities that would be allowed for the use on the territory of Ukraine. There is a transformation of the accounting system and accounting procedures in the conditions of the use of the computer technologies and software products for accounting automation, which is accompanied by the increase in the quality and efficiency level of the management process. The application of automation software significantly increases the quality of accounting information process in organizations. We consider the main advantages of the use of modern information technology for automation of accounting procedures on the basis of the conducted critical analysis of special literature. They are: 1) processing and preserving a large number of identical units in the structural plan of accounting information; 2) the possibility of choosing the necessary information from a great number of data; 3) reliable and faultless realization of mathematical calculations; 4) operational obtaining of the necessary data for the adoption of reasonable management decisions; 5) repeated recreation of actions. It should be noted that in the conditions of the use of automated forms of accounting, the technological process of processing of records envisages the implementation of the following successive steps:1) collection and registration of primary data for further realization of automated processing; 2) the formation of arrays of records on electronic media, including: a journal of economic operations, the structure of synthetic and analytical accounts, manuals of analytical objects, permanent information etc.; 3) receiving, at the request of the user, the necessary accounting data for the reporting period in the form of registers of synthetic accounting, analytical tables and certificates of accounts. The overview of the major software products («Parus accounting», «SAP», «Master: accounting», «IS-pro»), which are widely used in Ukraine, showed that despite the restrictions, most enterprises, including those providing outsourcing services, continue to use the «1S: Accounting» program for keeping records. From our point of view, the most optimal accounting program of ukrainian production is «Master: accounting», which could completely replace the software product «1S: Accounting» in the field of agriculture. The software product «Master: agro» for keeping records of agrobusinesses meets the requirements of the current legislation of Ukraine and is fully adapted to the ukrainian market. It consists of functional modules embracing all areas of accounting and tax accounting. The important advantage of the program «Master: accounting» is also a training program for partners, which is made for 12 classes. The main purpose of this is to provide partners with practical skills in installing the program and the features of the configuration of its modules, the study of basic programming tools and settings for solving account tasks. The studying process is divided into 3 levels. The first level is «user» ‒ designed for anyone who can potentially work with the program. The second level «consultant» is for the automatic setting and training of users. The third «developer» is for those companies and partners who need aintenser adaptation of the product to the working process. Key words: automation, program, computer technologies, accounting of enterprise.

Targeted Feature Extraction in MALDI Mass Spectrometry Imaging to Discriminate Proteomic Profiles of Breast and Ovarian Cancer.

To develop a mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) based workflow for extracting m/z values related to putative protein biomarkers and using these for reliable tumor classification. Given a list of putative breast and ovarian cancer biomarker proteins, a set of related m/z values are extracted from heterogeneous MSI datasets derived from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue material. Based on these features, a linear discriminant analysis classification model is trained to discriminate the two tumor types. It is shown that the discriminative power of classification models based on the extracted features is increased compared to the automatic training approach, especially when classifiers are applied to spectral data acquired under different conditions (instrument, preparation, laboratory). Robust classification models not confounded by technical variation between MSI measurements are obtained. This supports the assumption that the classification of the respective tumor types is based on biological rather than technical differences, and that the selected features are related to the proteomic profiles of the tumor types under consideration.

Technical and organizational and legal conditions relating to the power supply of a railway vehicle equipped with automatic train control system

Technical and organizational and legal conditions relating to the power supply of a railway vehicle equipped with automatic train control system

Hypermedia training system «architecture of civil and public buildings»

Purpose of the article. It has been established that a user of computer-aided design (CAD) can effectively solve his tasks only with the active help of a computer. An additional means of enhancing the user's cognitive activity are automatic training system (ATS). They are a complex of software-hardware and educational tools that provide active individual assistance to the user. All people over the world are engaged in the development of such systems nowadays. Therefore, the task of creating CAD training is relevant. The hypermedia systems (GM - system) recently appear. It is a system that uses the most advanced technologies and is designed to increase the efficiency and intensify the processes of interaction between a person and the entire knowledge-related environment. The purpose of the work is to explain the basic concepts of hypertext and the functioning of the GM on the example of the training system «Architecture of civil and public buildings». Methodology of the research. The concepts of elements of the hypertext architecture are given: node, connection, system model, and hypertext database. A brief description of the hypermedia educational system «Architecture of civil and public buildings» is given, which contains information models of building layouts and is used in course design. The information model of a two-storey cottage has 12 modules designed for the planning of the building and its individual parts. Results. A hypertext database has been formed, including texts, graphics, calculations, reference data, available technical solutions, video information. Scientific novelty. A hypermedia training system «Architecture of civil and public buildings» was created, which contains information models of building layout. A new philosophy of presentation of the material has been proposed, which makes students learn the world differently and actively participate in the learning process. Practical significance. The training system is used in course design. Training is conducted by a lecturer. Thanks to the visualization, students have the opportunity to present more realistically not only individual, rather complex structural elements and components, but also the technology of construction of the building itself. For clarity, the training process uses educational films that allow students to be on the construction site without leaving the classroom.

Distributed cooperative control of multiple high-speed trains under a moving block system by nonlinear mapping-based feedback

Although the high-speed railways in China have been greatly advanced in the past decades with respect to expanding networks and increasing speed, a fixed block system, which separates the trains with several stationary track block sections, is utilized to guarantee the safe operation of multiple trains. A moving block system, which enables the moving authority of a high-speed train to be the real-time positioning point of its preceding one (plus some necessary safe redundant distance, of course), is under development to further make full use of the high-speed railway lines and improve the automation level by automatic train operation for high-speed trains. The aim of this paper is to design a distributed cooperative control for high-speed trains under a moving block system by giving a cooperative model with a back-fence communication topology. A nonlinear mapping-based feedback control method together with a rigorous mathematic proof for the global stability and ultimate bound of the closed-loop control systems is proposed. Comparative results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method.

Uml based test cases generation for the centralised control system of high speed maglev

Background: The high speed maglev centralized control subsystem (CCS), which realizes the display, automatic train operation (ATO) and diagnose. The CCS is an important security assurance for train operation. System testing (ST) can detect design defects early and performed effective repair to improve the efficiency of the system’ on-site coordinated operation. Therefore, the quality of test cases directly determines the achievements and efficiency of CCS, and it is necessary to be tested before put it into use.
 Aim: The generation of test case of centralized control subsystem is proposed.
 Methods: In order to meet the requirements of the system, the first step is operating the extraction of functional features. Then, the unified modeling language is using to develop the test model in this paper. Then the corresponding unified modeling language models, use case diagram, state diagram, activity diagram and sequence diagram, are developed. The state diagram of operation process is using to describe the state transition during the period from initial state of the OTS to the completion of the operation. The activity diagram of train operation process focuses on the control relationship during the period from one activity to another, which can describe the interaction exactly between OTS, DCS and VCS. The sequence diagram, behavior of use case, focuses on the sequence of information sent by objectives, in which a group of objectives and information transfer are presented. And according to these models, the test cases of the specified case are generated.
 Results: The generated test cases are all executed in the developed lab-test system. The results show that the generated test cases can fully simulate the common situations of the operation scene, and effectively improve the test efficiency and test quality. We designed the experiments as followings: 85 test cases for terminal system design of operator, 68 test cases for train automatic operation design, 31 test cases for central diagnostic system design. All of the designed test cases are examined through the test platform, covering all main scenes in operation process. The errors or detects found in tests are solved by finding the reasons and modifying the code, etc. Finally, the pass rate of the method proposed in this paper is 100 %. 
 Conclusion: The UML based method of test case generation implements the generation process and achieves the test cases and verification for CCS. Through the test practice, test cases designed can fully simulate all kinds of common situations in the operation site. What’s more, the test cases also realize early detection of errors and defects in the system and repair them. It is useful to improve the efficiency on-site testing process, to reduce the cost of time and test quality. The method can provide theoretical basis and reference for further testing of high speed maglev CCS.

RAMS Analysis of Train Air Braking System Based on GO-Bayes Method and Big Data Platform

The RAMS (reliability, availability, maintainability, and security) of the air braking system is an important indicator to measure the safety performance of the system; it can reduce the life cycle cost (LCC) of the rail transit system. Existing safety analysis methods are limited to the level of relatively simple factual descriptions and statistical induction, failing to provide a comprehensive safety evaluation on the basis of system structure and accumulated data. In this paper, a new method of safety analysis is described for the failure mode of the air braking system, GO-Bayes. This method combines the structural modeling of the GO method with the probabilistic reasoning of Bayes methods, introduces the probability into the analysis process of GO, performs reliability analysis of the air braking system, and builds a big data platform for the air braking system to guide the system maintenance strategy. An automatic train air braking system is taken as an example to verify the usefulness and accuracy of the proposed method. Using ExtendSim software shows the feasibility of the method and its advantages in comparison with fault tree analysis.

Multimodal Transportation Network Modeling Based on the Generic Second Order Modeling Approach

The generic second order modeling (GSOM) approach to vehicular traffic flow combines the traditional kinematic description of traffic with dynamic equations for vehicle attributes. The GSOM model provides a unifying framework for many models in the literature. This framework includes tools such as local supply and demand, discretization, variational formulation, and generic intersection models.The object of the paper is to extend this approach to multimodal modeling of transportation networks. In multimodal networks two connected but distinct flows co-exist: vehicular and passenger flow. The main idea of the paper is to express the passenger flow as the flow of a specific attribute: the passenger load of vehicles, the unit of which is expressed in passengers per vehicle. Supplementary attributes pertaining to passengers can be added: destinations, activity plans, information availability, passenger category, and so forth. Intermodal poles, stations (bus, taxi, train), and intersections are modeled as nodes. It is shown that the stock variables associated to vehicles and passengers satisfy a system of conservation equations (on links) coupled with a system of ordinary differential equations (in nodes). Boundary conditions and numerical methods are proposed for the resolution of the model. Some examples are given, notably a method for managing a major incident on an automatic train line. The method uses most elements of the model in order to define the control strategy: passenger and train dynamics, station models, and local traffic supply and demand analysis.

CASTRA: Seamless and Unobtrusive Authentication of Users to Diverse Mobile Services

This paper presents context-aware security technology for responsive and adaptive protection (CASTRA), an “always-on” context-aware authentication and access control framework that seamlessly and unobtrusively authenticate users to mobile applications of varying sensitivity levels. CASTRA uses a continuous and multifaceted behavioral biometrics authentication that passively authenticates the user in the background while the device is being in contact with the user, and a context-aware risk assessment and access control that provides access to applications based on the perceived threat level around the device. The behavioral authentication module is constructed by exploiting a combination of supervised and unsupervised learning techniques on raw sensor and GPS data passively gathered from the mobile device. Multiple inferences about the user (or user behavioral traits ) such as frequently visited locations, location transition patterns, physical proximity of user with the device (e.g., device in the pocket or placed on the table), and walking patterns are automatically inferred and extracted. Analytical studies were conducted to derive optimal thresholds to fuse these multiple traits and an adaptive trust score is generated every user-defined time period to determine the degree to which the user is trustworthy to access the applications. CASTRA is implemented in a client-server mode, utilizing the Android and the Amazon Cloud computing platform. The novelty of CASTRA stems from the design and fusion of multiple behavioral biometric-based authentication factors and the development and deployment of a practical end-to-end architecture that enables real-time data acquisition, automatic training and learning of user behavioral patterns, and context-aware risk assessment and access control. The performance of CASTRA was evaluated under natural settings, on 15 subjects, using different variants of the Samsung devices. Multiple realistic attack scenarios (e.g., stolen, lost, and shared devices) targeting mobile devices were designed to prove the security and user-friendliness of the proposed scheme. We also present techniques to reduce energy and bandwidth consumption and ways to unobtrusively acquire data for supervised learning algorithms without requiring explicit user annotation.

New low-cost solar tracking system based on open source hardware for educational purposes

In this paper, due to the detected educational demands regarding automatic control and training in management of solar tracker systems, a small prototype based on low cost open source hardware and computer vision is built to test the control algorithms developed in Mathematica and Simulink. The new prototype has been developed with the aim of being a powerful tool for a wide range of applications regarding to the learning of automatic in solar energy. Finally, its educational application is discussed.

Automatic train regulation of complex metro networks with transfer coordination constraints: A distributed optimal control framework

In designing the automatic train regulation strategy of metro networks subject to frequent disturbances, it is essential to coordinate the trains at the transfer stations among different lines to facilitate passengers transferring. In this paper, we systematically investigate the distributed optimal control method framework for automatic train regulation of large-scale complex urban metro networks with the transfer coordination constraints. A dynamic train traffic model of metro networks is elaborately developed in the form of the state-space equation. In case frequent disturbances happen, a dynamic optimization problem is developed to minimize the timetable and headway deviations for each line of the metro network under the interaction constraints of different lines on the transfer coordination. By regarding each line as a subsystem of the whole network, the optimization problem is formulated to coordinate a number of subsystems coupled by the state constraints. To satisfy the real-time control requirement, according to the dual decomposition technique, a new distributed optimal control method based on the distributed message passing mechanism is designed, which effectively decomposes the original large-scale problem spatially and temporally into multiple small-scale optimization subproblems that can be computed completely in parallel on a single computing platform to speed up the solution procedure, and thereby reduces the computational burden of centralized implementations for the large-scale urban metro networks. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Impact of Train Drivers’ Cognitive Responses on Rail Accidents

Despite the innovations in automatic train control (ATC) systems to reduce the risk of driver error, many rail accidents still occur due to defects in these systems, emphasizing the essential role of the driver in preventing rail accidents and proper control of the train. This paper studies the influence of drivers’ cognitive performance, including attention and visual perception, on the occurrence of rail accidents. The research is conducted using so-called Ex-Post facto method on a random sample of 56 train drivers with a minimum of three years of experience. The research instruments included drivers’ cognition test system including WAFV (perception and attention function) sustained attention test, COG (cognitrone) selective attention test, LVT (visual pursuit) visual perception test, demographic questionnaire, and drivers’ safety history. Results of this research showed that there is no significant relationship between age and education level of train drivers, and rate of occurrence of rail accidents. A comparison on train drivers’ cognitive characteristics, between drivers with accident record(s) and those without, showed that the drivers who had experienced rail accident(s) had lower levels of sustained attention. However, no significant difference was found between the two groups in selective attention and visual perception. Investigating the association of drivers’ ages with their levels of sustained attention, the drivers with high levels of sustained attention were found to be significantly older than other drivers. According to practical implications of these findings, cognitive rehabilitation courses are recommended for train drivers to attenuate the risk of rail accidents.

Empirical Analysis of Traveling Backwards and Passenger Flows Reassignment on a Metro Network with Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) Data and Train Diagram

Metro (subway) systems are becoming overcrowded in some of China’s mega-cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. As many passengers are unable to board trains on an overcrowded metro network during peak periods, some of them are willing to spend more time and energy by traveling backwards in order to secure a seat or even room for standing. Traditional studies on travel behavior analysis and transit assignment models seldom deal with this situation. We propose a methodology including the affinity propagation cluster method with between-within-proportion (BWP) index and an adaptive “0-1” model named the traveling backwards model (TBM) to identify the phenomenon of “traveling backwards” and to reassign passenger flows on a metro network using automatic fare collection (AFC) data and actual train diagrams. As a numerical example, this integrated approach is applied to the Beijing metro system. Our research shows that the affinity propagation cluster method with BWP index and implicit enumeration algorithm for TBM work well. TBM is a good replacement for the existing assignment model and travel behavior analysis, especially for those mega-cities’ networks in peak hours.

Characteristics of event recorders in Automatic Train Control systems

The development of railway transport in the current times is very noticeable, it is connected with the growing needs of movement as well as the development of information engineering. The increase in the demand for transport requires the implementation of solutions that increase the efficiency of the transport system. Both long-distance, agglomeration and metro railways can use different systems due to their specificity. Nevertheless, there is a noticeable trend in the development of systems supporting or even replacing the driver by the automation of selected activities. Such systems allow to reduce trains headway and thus increase the capacity of the line. CBTC class systems (Communications-based train control) belong to automatic train systems and are based on wireless transmission. The main purpose of using such systems is to increase the frequency of running trains while maintaining the level of safety. Computers that are on the system equipment record, process and analyse very large amounts of data. An essential element of such systems are recording units. The parameter recorders can be divided into technical and legal ones. However, for CBTC class systems, there is no obligation or requirement to use legal recorders as it is in the case of ETCS. However, it is necessary to use event recorders, and these are subject to the requirements set out in the PN-EN 62625-1: 2014 standard. The recorders are a very important component of safety systems, which is why they were analysed in this article. Both the driver, the vehicle and the infrastructure should be subject of continuous monitoring. The occurrence of an adverse event (not necessarily leading to an incident or accident) should be analysed and used to improve safety procedures. Currently, automatic systems are still developing and we are not able to accurately assess what the causes and effects of certain events may be, which is why data collection and analysis is particularly important. The article presents the general specification of the CBTC system. The parameters and properties of driving recorders should be presented. This article is co-financed by the European Union POIR.01.01.01-00-0276/17

AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF METRO TRAINS

For the English abstract and full text of the article please see the attached PDF-File (English version follows Russian version).ABSTRACT The experience of development of domestic automatic traffic control systems for metro trains is analyzed, taking into account high intensity and low redundancy of the line capacity necessary to compensate for disturbances. A brief overview of development of an automated control system is given; the dynamics of changes in the systems of automatic train operation is shown. The analysis of the transformation of algorithms for centralized control of metro trains, the features of time-travel controllers, the requirements for construction of technical means for determining the distance traveled and the speed regime are given. Keywords: metro, automatic traffic control system, dynamics of development, safety, automatic train operation, time-travel controllers, algorithms.

Maggot Instructor: Semi-Automated Analysis of Learning and Memory in Drosophila Larvae.

For several decades, Drosophila has been widely used as a suitable model organism to study the fundamental processes of associative olfactory learning and memory. More recently, this condition also became true for the Drosophila larva, which has become a focus for learning and memory studies based on a number of technical advances in the field of anatomical, molecular, and neuronal analyses. The ongoing efforts should be mentioned to reconstruct the complete connectome of the larval brain featuring a total of about 10,000 neurons and the development of neurogenic tools that allow individual manipulation of each neuron. By contrast, standardized behavioral assays that are commonly used to analyze learning and memory in Drosophila larvae exhibit no such technical development. Most commonly, a simple assay with Petri dishes and odor containers is used; in this method, the animals must be manually transferred in several steps. The behavioral approach is therefore labor-intensive and limits the capacity to conduct large-scale genetic screenings in small laboratories. To circumvent these limitations, we introduce a training device called the Maggot Instructor. This device allows automatic training up to 10 groups of larvae in parallel. To achieve such goal, we used fully automated, computer-controlled optogenetic activation of single olfactory neurons in combination with the application of electric shocks. We showed that Drosophila larvae trained with the Maggot Instructor establish an odor-specific memory, which is independent of handling and non-associative effects. The Maggot Instructor will allow to investigate the large collections of genetically modified larvae in a short period and with minimal human resources. Therefore, the Maggot Instructor should be able to help extensive behavioral experiments in Drosophila larvae to keep up with the current technical advancements. In the longer term, this condition will lead to a better understanding of how learning and memory are organized at the cellular, synaptic, and molecular levels in Drosophila larvae.