SIMULATING AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR HELICOPTER FLIGHT MANOEUVRE

Sunny Orike

Department of Electrical/Computer Engineering

Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt-Nigeria

E-mail: orike.sunny@ust.edu.ng,

ABSTRACT

The paper aims to simulate an artificial intelligence for helicopter flight manoeuvre. The methodology makes use of inverse simulation and genetic algorithms to develop a high level helicopter pilot model to fly a prescribed manoeuvre, and realisation of a multi-objective optimisation/search algorithm to converge to a human-like solution. The inverse simulation generates the controls required to fly the helicopter, while the genetic algorithms generate feasible solutions to the inverse simulation problem. The overall goal is to prescribe a manoeuvre for the helicopter and have the developed pilot find control settings that carry out the given manoeuvre. Continuous controls encoding method was implemented in flying an acceleration/deceleration manoeuvre form. The helicopter pilot was formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem with four objectives imposed as penalties. A novel approach, termed maxPenalty, compared and returned the biggest of the four penalties. The genetic algorithm attempts to maximise the fitness function, while minimising the pilot’s total workload. The work evaluates the developed model pilot in terms of performance and functional efficiency.

Keywords: Geneticalgorithms, Helicopter pilot, Inverse Simulation

THE STUDY OF CONDITIONAL PROBABILITIES AND THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF NA-K AND GA-ZN LIQUID ALLOYS

Musari Abolore A, Egunjobi, A.I, Oseni, K.J, Sodunke, M.A,

Physics/Electronics Unit,

Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta.

e-mail:abmus911@yahoo.ie

ABSTRACT

A model based on the calculation of conditional probabilities has been used to gain further insight into the study of energetics of Na-K and Ga-Zn liquid alloys. The model refers to as four atom cluster model enables us to observed feature of these alloys. Our calculations yield for both alloys, agreement with the experiment about the concentrations at which segregation occurs in both alloys.also the degree of segregation in Na-K is larger than Ga-Zn.

Keywords: Ordering Energy, activity, chemical short-range order, Four-atom cluster model.

EFFECT OF INTEREST RATE ON INVESTMENT AND PRODUCTION IN SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES: CASE STUDY OF SELECTED COMPANIES IN EDO STATE

F.F. Asekhame and O.N. Aibangbee

 Department of Mechanical Engineering

Igbinedion University, Okada.

Email: oaibangbee@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

An empirical study to appraise the effect of interest rate on investment and production in small and medium scale industries is presented here. Data collected using the questionnaire administered to the various companies was analysed, using statistical tools namely Cochran Q-test and percentage analysis. The Cochran Q-test was used to analyse the part of the questionnaire that required a Yes/No response, while the percentage analysis was done to ascertain the percentage of respondents that answered a particular question. With the Cochran model applied on the responses, a computed value of Q_cal =40.722 was obtained while a value of 23.68 at 95 percent of significance was obtained from the Cochran table. With the calculated value higher than the value from the table, it can be said that the data collected during the study does not provide sufficient evidence for us to accept the null hypothesis (H_o) which argued that there are no laid down criteria for Yes/No response. Hence the alternative hypothesis which clearly depicts the reality of the questions asked was accepted.  From the percentage analysis, it was deduced that 60% of firms got their initial finance from personal resources, while 33.33% got their finance from relatives and none of the firms got its initial finance from the bank. 73.33% of the firms gave their reason for not going to the bank for their initial finance as due to high interest rate, while 26.67% gave their reason as due to lack of collateral.

Keywords: Interest Rate, Investment, Production, Entrepreneurs

EFFECTS OF CENTRIPETAL FORCE AND HIGHWAY DETERIORATION ON VALLEY CURVES OF NATIONAL HIGHWAYS (A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU – AWKA EXPRESSWAY)

Adinna B.O, Umenwaliri S.N. and Aginam C.H.

Department of Civil Engineering; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

E-mail adinnaboniface@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This paper investigated the reasons for the ever presence of many potholes and alligator cracks at valley curves in most national highways, using Enugu – Awka express way as a case study. From the ensuing studies carried out on the case – study highway, it was discovered that centripetal force increases the axle load of vehicles by about 20% – 30% for pavements on valley curves, thereby causing serious damage to pavements at valley curves. A visual contrast which was discovered during the investigation seriously underscores the findings: where a summit curve and a valley curve occurs at same location on the two-lane-dual carriage way, the lanes going uphill are often totally free from potholes, while those going downhill a rife with ever widening potholes. Based on the above findings, it was recommended that road designers should provide sufficient thickness of road surfacing and base courses to counter the effect of centripetal force at valley curves. This thickness should be minimum at the beginning of the curve and maximum at the center of the curve, i.e should increase with increasing centripetal force along the length of transition curve. This should be done without compromise to high quality of construction materials and workmanship.

Keywords: highway vertical curves, centripetal force , road pavement, potholes.