This article presents a new cascaded extended state observer (CESO)-based sliding-mode control (SMC) for an underactuated flexible joint robot (FJR). The control of the FJR has many challenges, including coupling, underactuation, nonlinearity, uncertainties and external disturbances, and the noise amplification especially in the high-order systems. The proposed control integrates the CESO and SMC, in which the CESO estimates the states and disturbances, and the SMC provides the system robustness to the uncertainty and disturbance estimation errors. First, a dynamic model of the FJR is derived and converted from an underactuated form to a canonical form via the Olfati transformation and a flatness approach, which reduces the complexity of th

The security environment for Northeast Asia is extremely important, as it includes most of the international actors (United States of America, China, Russian Federation and Japan), which gives the nature of the interactions of these forces a special importance for the region.

Because of the multiplicity of policies and interests of the active forces in the region, the result has been an unstable regional environment where the interests of the major powers often clash repeatedly on many related issues, which is coupled with the growing efforts of many powers to adopt policies that differ from what they did in the past This resulted in different patterns of relations, which were mainly characterized by competition over regional lea

Organic Permeable Base Transistors (OPBTs) reach a very high transit frequency and large on-state currents. However, for a later commercial application of this technology, a high operational stability is essential as well. Here, the stability of OPBTs during continuous cycling and during base bias stress is discussed. It is observed that the threshold voltage of these transistors shifts toward more positive base voltages if stressed by applying a constant potential to the base electrode for prolonged times. With the help of a 2D device simulation, it is proposed that the observed instabilities are due to charges that are trapped on top of an oxide layer formed around the base electrode. These charges are thermally released after rem

The study aims at investigating the effectiveness of the Virtual Library Technology, in developing the achievement of the English Language Skills in the Center of Development and Continuous Education, in comparison with the individual learning via personal computer to investigate the students' attitude towards the use of both approaches. The population of the study includes the participants in the English Language course arranged in the Center. The sample includes 60 students who were randomly chosen from the whole population (participants in English Courses for the year 2009-2010). The sample is randomly chosen and divided into two experimental groups. The first group has learned through classroom technology; while the other group has l

The research has designed for studying the relationship between manufacturing strategy and its flexibility under the flexible manufacturing system with their reflection on the competitive environmental performance of the firm. To interpret and tackle the problem, a hypothesis has formulated stating that “ the competitive performance of a firm is interpreted by the manufacturing strategy and flexibility which are derived from the firm and its business  strategies under the flexible manufacturing system”. Related literatures with their theoretical dissertations, which enhanced the thoughtful content, have analyzed. An illustrative case study on the flexible manufacturing system at Toyota Motors Corporation working at the g

Abstract: The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of 940 nm diode laser in comparison to Endoactivator in elimination of smear layer in terms of radicular dentin permeability and ultra-structural changes of root canal walls by SEM evaluation. Twenty-eight single-rooted extracted lower premolars were instrumented up to size X4 (protaper Next, Dentsaply) and divided into two experimental groups according to the irrigation system, G1; activated by EndoActivator and G2; activated by Diode laser 940 nm, CW mode, 1.7 W. Afterward, the roots were made externally impermeable, filled with 2%methylene blue dye, divided horizontally into three segments representing the apical, middle, and coronal thirds then examined under stereo- micr

    The current study performed in order to detect and quantify epicatechin in two tea samples of Camellia sinensis (black and green tea) by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Extraction of epicatechin from black and green tea was done by using two different methods: maceration (cold extraction method) and decoction (hot extraction method) involved using three different solvents which are  absolute ethanol, 50% aqueous ethanol and water  for both extraction methods using room temperature and direct heat respectively. Crude extracts of two tea samples that obtained from two methods were fractionated by using two solvents with different polarity (chloroform and

Cu (In, Ga) Se2 (CIGS) nano ink were synthesized from molecular precursors of CuCl, In Cl3, GaCl3 and Se metal heated to 240 °C for 1 hour in N2-atmosphere to form CIGS nanocrystal ink, Thin films were deposited onto Au/soda-lime glass (SLG) substrates. This work focused on CIGS nanocrystals, including their synthesis and application as the active light absorber layer in photovoltaic devices (PVs). This approach, using spin-coating deposition of the CIGS light absorber layers (75 mg/ml and 150 nm thickness), without high temperature selenization, has enabled up to 1.398 % power conversion efficiency under AM 1.5 solar illumination. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies show that the structural formation of CIGS chalcopyrite structure. The mo