Equivalent Test Research Articles

Phenotypic architecture of sociality and its associated genetic polymorphisms in zebrafish.

Sociality relies on motivational and cognitive components that may have evolved independently, or may have been linked by phenotypic correlations driven by a shared selective pressure for increased social competence. Furthermore, these components may be domain-specific or of general-domain across social and non-social contexts. Here, we used zebrafish to test if the motivational and cognitive components of social behavior are phenotypically linked and if they are domain specific or of general domain. The behavioral phenotyping of zebrafish in social and equivalent non-social tests shows that the motivational (preference) and cognitive (memory) components of sociality: (1) are independent from each other, hence not supporting the occurrence of a sociality syndrome; and (2) are phenotypically linked to non-social traits, forming two general behavioral modules, suggesting that sociality traits have been co-opted from general-domain motivational and cognitive traits. Moreover, the study of the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and each behavioral module further supports this view, since several SNPs from a list of candidate "social" genes, are statistically associated with the motivational, but not with the cognitive, behavioral module. Together, these results support the occurrence of general-domain motivational and cognitive behavioral modules in zebrafish, which have been co-opted for the social domain.

A Study to assess the Effectiveness of Billig’s Exercise in reducing Dysmenorrhoea among Adolescent Girls

Statement of the Problem: A study to assess the effectiveness of Billig’s exercise in reducing dysmenorrhoea among adolescent girls at Alchemy school, saravanampatti, Coimbatore. Study objective: (a) To assess the pre test level of dysmenorrhoea among adolescent girls in the experimental and control group(b)To assess the post test level of dysmenorrhoea among adolescent girls in the experimental and control group (c)To assess the effectiveness of Billigs exercise on dysmenorrhoea among adolescent girls in the experimental group (d) To find out the association between post test level of dysmenorrhoea among adolescent girls with their selected demographic variables. Methodology: Experimental approach, a subtype of quantitative approach, the research design was quasi experimental design, non equivalent control group pre test and post test was used for the present study. The sample for the study consists of 60 adolescent girls with dysmenorrhoea, 30 in experimental group and 30 in control group, selected by purposive sampling techniques, a type of non probability sampling method. Numerical Pain Intensity Scale was used to assess the level of menstrual pain of adolescent girls is both group. Results: Inferential and descriptive statistical were used to analyze the data. The pre test value of menstrual pain in adolescent girls for experimental and control group was 5.2 and 4.63 respectively. The mean post test score was 1.8 and 4.33 for experimental and control group. The comparison was done between two group by performing the independent‘t’ test and the value was 5.57.Conclusion: The study shows that Billig’s exercise is effective to reduce menstrual pain among adolescent girls.

Effect of a multi-disciplinary program on anthropometric and biochemical parameters in obese and overweight elementary school girls: A randomized clinical trial

Background and aimsObesity and overweight in children are associated with an increased risk of several health issues. The present study aimed to assess the effects of a multi-disciplinary program (including nutrition education using a smartphone game, physical activity, and cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT]) on the management of obesity and overweight in elementary school girls. Methods and resultsSixty-two school girls above the 85th percentile of body mass index (BMI) for age were randomly assigned to two groups. During 10 weeks of study, the intervention group received a multi-disciplinary intervention, including nutrition education using a smartphone game, aerobic exercise, and CBT. The control group received usual traditional nutritional education. Biochemical and metabolic factors were assessed, including fasting blood sugar (FBS), lipid profile, serum leptin, and anthropometric measurements. The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and metabolic equivalent test (MET) were also conducted. The intervention group showed more promising results in weight loss, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), and FBS compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In addition, MET and DEBQ scores in all three sections of emotions, stimuli, and restriction were better in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between groups regarding the results of serum leptin and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR; p > 0.05). ConclusionsThe results indicated that education through smartphone games could possibly affect performance in real life. In addition, the multi-disciplinary approach to childhood obesity might have better performance in most areas than the single-intervention approach in obesity management.

Uncertainty quantification of the failure assessment diagram for flawed steel components in BS 7910:2019

The failure assessment line (FAL) describes the interaction between plastic failure and fracture of flawed steel components subjected to tension or bending. This paper quantifies the model uncertainty of the FAL as provided in the internationally used British Standard BS 7910:2019 by comparing the assessment with the actual failure load of 82 wide plate and 4 tubular joint tests. In line with findings of others, it is demonstrated that the accuracy of the assessment is significantly improved if the crack tip constraint is considered in the assessment. Irrespective of this crack tip constraint consideration, a non-negligible number of wide plate tests has a lower failure load than the one predicted by the FAL in BS 7910:2019, if based on three fracture toughness tests. A penalty or safety margin on the FAL is advocated to compensate for this. It appears advantageous to base the assessment on the average instead of the minimum of three equivalent fracture mechanics tests together with an associated (quantified) safety margin.

Diagnostic test accuracy of remote, multidomain cognitive assessment (telephone and video call) for dementia.

Remote cognitive assessments are increasingly needed to assist in the detection of cognitive disorders, but the diagnostic accuracy of telephone- and video-based cognitive screening remains unclear. To assess the test accuracy of any multidomain cognitive test delivered remotely for the diagnosis of any form of dementia. To assess for potential differences in cognitive test scoring when using a remote platform, and where a remote screener was compared to the equivalent face-to-face test. We searched ALOIS, the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group Specialized Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, LILACS, and ClinicalTrials.gov (www. gov/) databases on 2 June 2021. We performed forward and backward searching of included citations. We included cross-sectional studies, where a remote, multidomain assessment was administered alongside a clinical diagnosis of dementia or equivalent face-to-face test. Two review authors independently assessed risk of bias and extracted data; a third review author moderated disagreements. Our primary analysis was the accuracy of remote assessments against a clinical diagnosis of dementia. Where data were available, we reported test accuracy as sensitivity and specificity. We did not perform quantitative meta-analysis as there were too few studies at individual test level. For those studies comparing remote versus in-person use of an equivalent screening test, if data allowed, we described correlations, reliability, differences in scores and the proportion classified as having cognitive impairment for each test. The review contains 31 studies (19 differing tests, 3075 participants), of which seven studies (six telephone, one video call, 756 participants) were relevant to our primary objective of describing test accuracy against a clinical diagnosis of dementia. All studies were at unclear or high risk of bias in at least one domain, but were low risk in applicability to the review question. Overall, sensitivity of remote tools varied with values between 26% and 100%, and specificity between 65% and 100%, with no clearly superior test. Across the 24 papers comparing equivalent remote and in-person tests (14 telephone, 10 video call), agreement between tests was good, but rarely perfect (correlation coefficient range: 0.48 to 0.98). Despite the common and increasing use of remote cognitive assessment, supporting evidence on test accuracy is limited. Available data do not allow us to suggest a preferred test. Remote testing is complex, and this is reflected in the heterogeneity seen in tests used, their application, and their analysis. More research is needed to describe accuracy of contemporary approaches to remote cognitive assessment. While data comparing remote and in-person use of a test were reassuring, thresholds and scoring rules derived from in-person testing may not be applicable when the equivalent test is adapted for remote use.

Reducing Redundant Test Executions in Software Product Line Testing—A Case Study

In the context of software product line (SPL) engineering, test cases can be reused for testing a family of products that share common parts of source code. An approach to test the products of a product family is to exhaustively execute each test case on all the products. However, such an approach would be very inefficient because the common parts of source code will be tested multiple times unnecessarily. To reduce unnecessary repetition of testing, we previously proposed a method to avoid equivalent test executions of a product line in the context of regression testing. However, it turns out that the same approach can be used in a broader context than just regression testing of product families. In this paper, we argue the generality of the method in the sense that it can be used for testing of the first version of a product family as well as regression testing of its subsequent versions. In addition, in this paper, in order to make the method practically usable for users, we propose a process for applying it to SPL testing. We demonstrate the generality of our method and the practical applicability of the proposed process for the method by conducting a case study.

Thermal resistance analysis of an energy pile and adjacent soil using radial temperature gradients

This paper examines the thermal resistances of energy piles and surrounding soils. A field-scale bored energy pile was installed through stiff sandy clay and dense sand and instrumented to measure temperatures on the external walls of the heat exchanger pipes, at the pile-soil interface, and in the soil. The radial temperature gradients between the pipes and the pile-soil interface, and the pile-soil interface and the soil, were used to evaluate the pile and soil thermal resistances, respectively. The thermal resistances were on the same order of magnitude with values of 0.053 mK/W, 0.072 mK/W, and 0.066 mK/W for the pile, stiff sandy clay, and dense sand due to similarities in their thermal properties. The analysis suggests that pile and soil thermal resistances are influenced by the pile dimensions, number of pipes, concrete cover, soil type and duration of heating. Hence, meticulous interpretation of thermal resistances considering these parameters should be conducted to understand heat transfer processes in energy piles accurately. Estimates of the pile thermal resistance from the equivalent diameter and thermal response test methods were found to be inconsistent with each other, highlighting the significance of considering steady state in-situ radial temperature gradients in designing energy pile systems.

Beyond counting the correct responses: Metacognitive monitoring and score estimations in mathematics

AbstractThis study investigated how well students differentiate their responses' accuracies (metacognitive monitoring) and estimate their test scores beyond counting—and counting on—the number of correct responses alone. Monitoring abilities of 2832 sixth‐graders (1410 male and 1422 female native in Turkish) at an 11‐item Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)‐equivalent mathematics test were measured via response‐contingent Type‐2 signal detection theory. The students also made score estimations right before and immediately after completing the test (pre‐ and posttest estimations, respectively). Although high‐scoring students underestimated and low‐scoring ones overestimated how they would perform in the test, high‐scorers were accurate in their posttest estimations unlike the low‐scoring group, where the lattaer retained their overestimation tendencies. Having better monitoring performance, the high‐scoring group could subsequently calibrate their posttest estimations. Additional assessment methods such as measuring monitoring and score estimations seem to have the potential to reveal how mathematics students behave before, during, and after responding.

Assessment of Asphalt Mixture Disk-Shaped Compact Tension Test Indexes for Reflective Cracking Performance

Abstract Disk-shaped compact tension (DCT) testing is a commonly used low-temperature fracture test to determine the cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures. The current testing specification only considers the fracture energy (Gf) from load-crack mouth opening displacement test data. However, Gf does not directly take into consideration the behavior of the post peak region of the curve, which may indicate the mixture’s ability to resist crack propagation and provide insight into fracture processes (e.g., crack growth velocity). It is possible to have two DCT specimens with similar Gf values but dramatically different load-displacement responses. The main focus of this paper is to make a comparative evaluation of various performance indexes developed for DCT fracture testing with respect to field reflective cracking performance of 10 full-scale asphalt concrete overlay test sections. This study evaluates Gf in addition to three other indexes: fracture strain tolerance (FST), rate-dependent cracking index (RDCI) and a proposed DCTIndex from Minnesota Department of Transportation that considers the post peak load-displacement behavior. An equivalent performance index approach is adopted to make comparisons of test sections with varying overlay structures in terms of thickness and material properties. Results from this study showed there was relatively good agreement between all equivalent laboratory performance indexes in identifying the best and worst performing overlay sections, according to normalized field performance indexes after approximately three years of service. In general, the equivalent FST and RDCI laboratory indexes rank test sections similarly, while equivalent Gf and DCTIndex have comparable ranking.

Vehicle Fuel Emission Efficiency Estimation Using Multi-Linear Regression in Machine Learning

Vehicle fuel consumption and emission have been a great deal for global warming and the world economy. The impacts of CO2 emission can be minimized through optimization of engine design parameters such as Rated horsepower(RHP), Number of Cylinders and Rotors(NCR), Number of Gears(NG), and Equivalent Test Weight(ETW) to the Rounded and Adjusted Fuel Economy (RAFE). This article explorers the weighted impact of the independent variables RHP, NCR, NG, and ETW to RAFE using Multi-Linear Regression(MLR) in machine learning. For the proposed MLR method, the vehicle data is divided into two as training and testing. Then, the data cleanup process was applied to the training data to eliminate outliers that led to incorrect predictions. The proposed method determines the correlation coefficient to compare and seek the variables having less relationships with the dependent variable RAFE. Since there are no insignificant parameters in correlation analysis, MLR training was carried out by taking into account all parameters. Finally, the processed data are trained to create a multi-linear regression model. The obtained model is evaluated through Analysis of Variance(ANOVA). According to the ANOVA, there is a significant relationship between the dependent variable RAFE and the independent variables NG, ETW, and RHP with a p-value of 4.0994e-60, 1.5887e-48, and 2.5494e-31, respectively. Moreover, p-values of NG, ETW, and RHP are supported with F-test results of 227.73, 220.87, and 152.41. On the other hand, the obtained model is also relatively less affected by NCR, with a p-value of 0.031276 and an F-test of 4.94. As a result, the resulting MLR model can be used in new vehicle designs as it reveals which vehicle parameters affect CO2 emissions.

Synergistic balancing control for low-inertia power systems with high PV penetration: Tibet as a case study

This paper proposes a novel synergistic balancing control scheme for low-inertia power systems with high photovoltaic (PV) penetration in Tibet power grid (TPG). The mechanism and dispatching principle of choosing the suitable area control error (ACE) control mode for TPG are analyzed., An adaptive control mode switching method is proposed to meet the different control demands for the dynamically changing topologies. Then, we propose a new coordinated control scheme to dispatch hydropower generators and PV power stations. A set of optimum control objectives considering balancing control performance, regulation mileage of conventional generators, and power curtailment of PV are first presented. The control objectives are decomposed and simplified by step-by-step approximation and linearization, which are easily extended to be applied to real-world automatic generation control (AGC) systems. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed solutions for synergistic balancing control by using the equivalent TPG test system. The equivalent system includes 63 generators with total power equal to 1618.5 MW and 51 PV power stations over 1100 MW. In addition, the actual operation cases present that the coordinated control between conventional and renewable generation dispatched by AGC has the basic conditions in the actual operation of the power grids, which will play a more significant role with the rapid increase of renewable generation sources in the future.

Equivalence tests under the Cox-Aalen model and the partly Aalen model

ABSTRACT For the equivalence trial with survivor outcomes from two treatment groups, the most popular testing procedure is the test proposed by under the proportional hazards (PH) model. In this article, when the treatment effect is time invariant, we demonstrate that the result under the PH model can be extended to the Cox-Aalen model. When the treatment effect is time-variant, we propose an equivalent test for the differences of two cumulative hazard functions under the partly Aalen model. Simulation studies show that the proposed tests perform well in finite samples. We illustrate the proposed tests using bladder cancer data and the primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) data.

Abstract P4-09-09: Internationalization of the Amsterdam cognition scan: A validated set of online cognitive tests for (neuro-)oncological studies

Abstract Background: Studies show that breast cancer (BC) patients treated with systemic therapy may develop cognitive problems. More research is needed to better define the incidence, determinants and risk factors for cognitive problems, as well as targets for interventions. The Amsterdam Cognition Scan (ACS) was developed to facilitate this research. The ACS is a set of reliable and validated online neuropsychological tests that can be completed by patients at home without supervision. It measures a broad spectrum of cognitive domains including attention, memory, and executive functioning. The ACS currently runs in more than 15 oncological (observational and intervention) studies. To enable wider international application of the ACS, we developed international versions of the ACS (US, UK, Swedish and Danish). For this purpose, we created cross-lingual word criteria to measure learning and memory in a similar manner across studies. In another project, we examined the validity of the US version of the ACS. Project 1: Development of standardized word criteria: Aim: For translations of the verbal memory task of the ACS, we presented cross-lingual word criteria. Methods: We identified word criteria and developed a new Dutch word list for the memory task. Bayesian correlations and analyses of variance were conducted to compare the new word list with the traditional Dutch version of the memory task on trial scores and serial-position effects. Additionally, we compared the proportions of correct responses per item, corrected for serial-position. Results: We found similar trial scores, serial-position effects and proportions of correct responses per item corrected for serial-position in the new and traditional Dutch word list. Conclusion: Application of the word criteria led to a comparable word list to the word list of the traditional Dutch memory task. Item-level analyses provided concrete leads for direct improvement of the word list. The availability of word criteria will improve (inter)national standardization of one of the most frequently used neuropsychological tests. Project 2: Validation of American-English version of the ACS: Aim: We examined the usability and validity of the US version of the ACS in a group of North American non-CNS cancer patients. Methods: Based on the Dutch ACS, we developed the ACS-US. Concurrent validity was studied in 35 cancer patients (54% female; mean age 57.1 (SD=10.6) years) who completed both the ACS and equivalent traditional neuropsychological tests. Correlations were used to assess consistency between online and traditional tests. Results were compared to those of a previously performed Dutch validation study. Usability was assessed based on online debriefing and technical reports. Results: Concurrent validity of the ACS-US was moderately-high to high, similar to the Dutch ACS. The usability was excellent, instructions and practice were rated as clear. Conclusion: The ACS-US is ready for use. In the near future, normative data will be collected. Future directions: To enable incorporation of the ACS in BC studies worldwide, additional language versions of the ACS will continue to be developed. The ACS will include parallel versions of tests for repeated (longitudinal) testing and normative data will be collected for each language area separately. The ACS is a patient-friendly, cost-efficient, reliable and validated test battery that can be easily implemented in BC trials, and that can assist in answering important questions on the impact of BC and its treatment on the cognitive functioning of our patients. Citation Format: Philippe Lee Meeuw Kjoe, Elsken van der Wall, Sanne Schagen. Internationalization of the Amsterdam cognition scan: A validated set of online cognitive tests for (neuro-)oncological studies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-09-09.

Thermal model of supercapacitors operating in constant power applications: New mathematical expressions for precise calculation of temperature change

Supercapacitors (SCs) are key enablers that can bridge the gap between batteries and conventional capacitors. Certainly, their different merits in high power density, rapid rates of charging/discharging, long life cycles, their ability to handle high levels of charge and discharge currents, and the small values of their internal parameters have drawn attention in modern power systems and energy applications. Unfortunately, although SCs have simple equivalent circuits, the analyses, testing, and mathematical description of these circuits have not been completely resolved. This paper deals with the presentation of new accurate mathematical formulations that allow the calculation of the temperature change of SCs engaged in constant power-based applications precisely in charging and discharging. To achieve this goal, firstly, a comparison is made between well-known mathematical expressions in literature to describe all electrical variables (current, internal voltage, external voltage, power loss, etc.). Secondly, since the discharge process can be accurately represented by a transcendent equation with two solutions, a fast iterative method for solving this equation is proposed and tested. Thirdly, a new mathematical expression is derived for the temperature change of SCs during both the charge and discharge processes without assuming or neglecting SC parameters. Further, a comparison of the proposed expressions with literature-known solutions, as well as numerical results, is presented and discussed. Fourthly, the results of SC temperature change during both charging and discharging are also compared with changing parameters and operating conditions. The findings and analyses confirm that the derived mathematical formulations, proposed in this work, are precise and very close to the numerical results that can facilitate the integrity of the investigation and control of SCs contributing to the work in constant power-based applications.

Rational design of pin puller and its closed bomb test-based equivalent testing

A pyrotechnically actuated pin puller is considered an efficient and important separation device because of its advantages of low pyroshock and no debris. However, its large size, complicated structure, and difficulty in performance testing hinder the large-scale application in weapon systems. Herein, we report a new pin puller structure with the gas inlet channels designed on the pin shaft. The novel design achieves the combination of the initiator and the pin shaft and reduces the size of the pin puller by 2 cm. A mathematical model of the movement process of this pin puller is established and further used to predict the variation rule of performance parameters. In particular, equivalent testing based on a closed bomb test (CBT) is proposed to examine the internal pressure of the pin puller calculated using the model. The experimental results of the equivalent testing are indeed consistent with the model simulation results and readily used to optimize the pin puller further in terms of the sensitivity analysis results of design parameters. The results show that our CBT-based equivalent testing can provide a facile way for the examination of the pressure of pyrotechnically actuated devices.

Pelatihan Toefl Preparation Course Bagi Mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Matematika Fakultas Fkip Universitas Batanghari

Mastery of foreign languages, especially English, is very important in efforts to improve the quality of human resources in the world of education. By imposing international quality standards, a campus has committed to enter a management domain that is no longer based on local quality standards and demands. Bilingual delivery of materials is a mandatory requirement for international standard schools. Of course, this is impossible if the teachers/teachers do not have English language competence. TOEFL equivalent English training is one of the efforts that can be done to improve the ability to master English for Mathematics students. Therefore, a TOEFL Preparation Course training program was conducted for students of the Mathematics Education study program FKIP Unbar to improve students' English skills. This program is carried out for 4 months. The training is divided into three basic skills, namely, Listening, Structure and Written Expression, and Reading Comprehension. Each session is held for 90 minutes with a balance of theory and practice in the form of working on practice questions. Meanwhile, to determine the initial and final abilities of the participants, a pre-test and post-test were carried out with TOEFL equivalent English test material. The results of this activity showed that students were satisfied and enthusiastic about participating in the training. In addition, there was an increase in students' English skills as indicated by an increase in post-test scores.

Sliding-Mode Control of a Photovoltaic System Based on a Flyback Converter for Microinverter Applications

A method to design a sliding-mode control of a photovoltaic system based on a flyback converter is proposed. First, the photovoltaic system is modeled to design the sliding-mode controller and to select the parameters of a maximum power point tracking algorithm. Then, the detailed design of the sliding-mode controller is presented, which includes the establishment of the sliding surface. The transversality, reachability, and equivalent control tests are also developed. Because the power extraction of the PV system is carried out through a P&amp;O MPPT algorithm, the selection of the perturbation magnitude, the perturbation period, and the maximum switching frequency is integrated into the control design. Additionally, since the derivative of the MPPT output could prevent the achievement of the reachability test, a filter to limit that derivative is also integrated into the design process. The whole method is illustrated in an application example where the data of a BP585 PV module and a real flyback converter are used. Once the parameters were obtained, circuital simulations performed in PSIM validated the intended operation of a PV system composed of a PV module and a flyback converter, which is connected to a source that produces the perturbations of an AC grid.

Generalized hierarchical expected improvement method based on black-box functions of adaptive search strategy

With the improvement of the accuracy of numerical simulation experiments, the computational costs of black–box function problems are increasing. In the process of global optimization using the Bayesian optimization method, the sampling cost and the optimization accuracy are the keys for measuring the effectiveness of the Bayesian optimization method. The expected improvement method has a closed-form of the acquisition function, which can realize the effective use of the sampled points, thereby reducing the sampling cost and improving the optimization accuracy. Therefore, this method has been widely used to solve practical engineering problems. The current expected improvement methods are based on fixed local–global search strategy. These methods have difficulty adapting to black-box functions of different complexities, and they have significant limitations in balancing local and global search capabilities. This article proposes a generalized hierarchical expected improvement (GHEI) Bayesian optimization method with an adaptive search strategy. By introducing the balance parameters to adjust the improvement functions, the local–global search criterion is further changed. On this basis, an adaptive search strategy based on the equivalent expectation to improve the optimization is proposed, and it improves the ability to deal with black-box functions of different complexities. The accuracy of the hierarchical Gaussian process model is further improved through methods such as related parameter estimation, hyperparameter determination, and basis function order selection. Comparative analysis with numerical calculation examples verified the effectiveness of the proposed method. Finally, the adaptive GHEI method is applied on the spacecraft radiation resistance equivalent test analysis, and results show that the adaptive GHEI method exhibits a strong search efficiency and applicability .

Design and testing of an automated cookstove fuel feeder for standardized laboratory testing

Laboratory testing of cookstoves aims to compare performance of stove designs under controlled and uniform conditions, with fuel feeding being an important parameter. This study explores whether a robotic cookstove feeder can reduce variability between laboratory tests of a cookstove, produce statistically similar firepower and measured emissions rates, and reduce tester interaction time during standard cookstove testing as compared to a trained human operator. A series of modified ISO/FDIS 19867-1 tests were performed by the robotic cookstove feeder designed for this project and compared to equivalent tests performed by two human operators. Testing included four unique configurations, two levels of firepower per configuration, and five replicates per firepower. The results showed that the robot cookstove feeder did not reduce variability, but was as consistent as the results from the human tests. A matched pair t-test at a 90% confidence interval revealed no statistical difference in firepower or PM2.5 emissions rates. However, the human and robot's CO2 emissions rates were very similar, with the robot average lower by 6.2% (SD = 6.4%) and higher by 4.2% (SD = 6.2%) on average for the high and medium testing power respectively. The human and robot's CO emissions rates differed more, with the average percent difference being 9.8% (SD = 25.4%) higher for the robot at high power and 21.7% (SD = 19.5%) higher for the medium power. A comparison of the tester interaction time showed that the robot on average saved the operator some time, although additional data are needed for this metric. Finally, there were mixed feelings about usability from the operators, with one operator reporting that the robot did not reduce the testing burden significantly. The results indicate that the robot is capable of performing repeatable cookstove testing and future iterations of the robot may provide opportunities to increase consistency in testing across cookstoves, operators, and testing facilities.

Short-distance equivalent test of acquisition, pointing, and tracking process for space laser communication.

The function and performance of acquisition, pointing, and tracking (APT) for the space laser communication terminals must be characterized on the ground before the launching. However, short working distance causes the terminals to not be viewed as a point, leading to the challenge for the whole-process equivalent test. A novel equivalent test method is proposed, to the best of our knowledge, by using a narrow laser beam and the imaging relationship between two terminals. The communication terminal is transformed to a virtual point by establishing an imaging relationship between the antenna of the transmitter and the tracking detector of the receiver. Thus, the deviation angle between the optical axis of the receiver and the centroid line of two terminals can be measured accurately. Furthermore, the acquisition process of searching the small-size antenna in the receiver with an extensive coverage beam in the transmitter is replaced by searching a large receiver surface with a narrow beam. This point-searching-surface method is equivalent to the surface-searching-point method in actual space communication. With this method, two terminals spaced 5 m apart were employed to construct the short-distance verification platform, and the APT function verification and performance test were completed.