<p>The goal of this research study was to do an explorative study in order to establish the experiences of patients with regard to social and health services factors that contribute to delays in seeking treatment for Tuberculosis.</p>

This thesis presents a novel bilateral teleoperation algorithm for n degree of freedom nonlinear manipulators connected through time delays. Teleoperation has many practical uses, as there are many benefits that come from being able to operate machines from a distance. For instance, the ability to send a remote controlled robotic vehicle into a hazardous environment can be a great asset in many industrial applications. As well, the field of remote medicine can benefit from these technologies. A highly skilled surgeon could perform surgery on a patient who is located in another city, or even country. Earth to space operations and deep sea exploration are other areas where teleoperation is quite useful. Central to the approach presented in this work is the use of second order sliding mode unknown input observers for estimating the external forces acting on the manipulators. The use of these observers removes the need for both velocity and force sensors, leading to a lower cost hardware setup that provides all of the advantages of a position-force teleoperation algorithm. Stability results for this new algorithm are presented for several cases. Stability of each of the master and slave sides of the teleoperation system is demonstrated, showing that the master and slave are both stabilized by their respective controllers when the unknown input observers are used for state and force estimation. Additionally, closed loop stability results for the teleoperation system connected to a variety of slave side environments are presented. Delay-independent stability results for a linear spring-damper environment as well as a general finite-gain stable nonlinear environment are given. Delay-dependent stability results for the case where the slave environment is a liner spring-damper and the delays are commensurate are also presented. As well, stability results for the closed loop under the assumption that the human operator is modeled as a finite-gain stable nonlinear environment are given. Following the theoretical presentation, numerical simulations illustrating the algorithm are presented, and experimental results verifying the practical application of the approach are given.

This master’s thesis describes the development of a model of the catalystsystem aiming at control by an MPC. A well functioning model, which is suitable in control purpose, is important while emission legislation become more and more hard to fulfill for the car manufacturers. Much research has been done in the field of physical modeling of the system, but in this work a linear adaptive time discrete ARX-model is developed and validated. The systems tendency to change its dynamic during usage implies that the model must be adaptive. The developed model proved to be well functioning and shows promising conditions for the MPC design. The system and the model are analyzed in the time- and frequency domains and the model is both implemented and validated in a Saab 9-5. The work has been performed both at Saab Automobile Powertrain AB in Södertälje and in Vehicular Systems Dept. of Electrical Engineering at Linköpings University.

This work made publicly available electronically on July 7, 2011.This thesis developed a new practical tuning method for fractional order proportional and integral controllers (FO-PI / PI®) for varying time-delay systems like networked con- trol systems (NCS), sensor networks, etc. Based on previously proposed FO-PI controller tuning rules using fractional Ms constrained integral gain optimization (F-MIGO), simulta- neous maximization of the jitter margin and integrated time weighted absolute error (ITAE) performance for a set of hundred gain delay time-constant (KLT) systems having di®erent time-constants and time-delay values are achieved. A multi-objective optimization algo- rithm is used to simultaneously maximize the ITAE factor and jitter margin of the plants at initial F-MIGO gain parameters. The new values of controller gain parameters are gen- eralized to give a new set of optimal fractional order proportional integral (OFOPI) tuning rules such that the jitter margin and system performance of closed-loop KLT systems are maximized and yet the closed-loop feedback system is stable. This is further tested and veri¯ed by simulation techniques. Comparisons are made with other existing proportional integral derivative (PID) and fractional order proportional integral (PI) tuning rules to prove the e±ciency of the new technique. It is further shown that OFOPI tuning rules per- form better than traditional tuning methods for lag-dominated FOPDT systems, because it can take the varying time-delay better into account. The tuning method is modi¯ed to work with discrete-time controllers in the context of NCSs. Furthermore, experimental results in a NCS platform, Stand-alone Smart Wheel (omnidirectional networked control robot wheel), are reported using the tuning rules developed in this thesis. The optimization tuning method performed almost equally well in practice as in simulations. The thesis also shows that the tuning rule development procedure for OFOPI is not only valid for FOPDT systems but is also applicable for other general classes of plants which could be reduced to ¯rst order plant systems. Temperature control in heat °ow apparatus and water-level control in a coupled tank system using FO-PI tuning rules are other major contributions of this thesis work.

This thesis presents a novel bilateral teleoperation algorithm for n degree of freedom nonlinear manipulators connected through time delays. Teleoperation has many practical uses, as there are many benefits that come from being able to operate machines from a distance. For instance, the ability to send a remote controlled robotic vehicle into a hazardous environment can be a great asset in many industrial applications. As well, the field of remote medicine can benefit from these technologies. A highly skilled surgeon could perform surgery on a patient who is located in another city, or even country. Earth to space operations and deep sea exploration are other areas where teleoperation is quite useful. Central to the approach presented in this work is the use of second order sliding mode unknown input observers for estimating the external forces acting on the manipulators. The use of these observers removes the need for both velocity and force sensors, leading to a lower cost hardware setup that provides all of the advantages of a position-force teleoperation algorithm. Stability results for this new algorithm are presented for several cases. Stability of each of the master and slave sides of the teleoperation system is demonstrated, showing that the master and slave are both stabilized by their respective controllers when the unknown input observers are used for state and force estimation. Additionally, closed loop stability results for the teleoperation system connected to a variety of slave side environments are presented. Delay-independent stability results for a linear spring-damper environment as well as a general finite-gain stable nonlinear environment are given. Delay-dependent stability results for the case where the slave environment is a liner spring-damper and the delays are commensurate are also presented. As well, stability results for the closed loop under the assumption that the human operator is modeled as a finite-gain stable nonlinear environment are given. Following the theoretical presentation, numerical simulations illustrating the algorithm are presented, and experimental results verifying the practical application of the approach are given.

<p>The goal of this work is to develop a practical and comprehensive methodology to study the response and the stability of various delay differential equations (DDEs). The development of these new analysis techniques is motivated by the existence of delays in the governing equations of many physical systems such as turning and milling processes. </p><p>Delay differential equations appear in many models in science in engineering either as an intrinsic component (e.g. machining dynamics) or as a modeling decision (biology related dynamics). However, the infinite dimensionality of DDEs significantly complicates the resulting analysis from both an analytical and numerical perspective. Since the delay results in an infinite dimensional state-space, it is often necessary to use an approximate procedure to study DDEs and ascertain their stability.</p><p>Several approximate techniques appeared in literature to study the stability of DDEs. However, a large number of these techniques---such as D-subdivision, Cluster Treatment of Characteristic Roots and Continuous Time Approximation---are limited to autonomous DDEs. Moreover, the methods that are suitable for non-autonomous DDEs, e.g. the Semi-discretization approach, often result in a very large system of algebraic equations that can cause computational difficulties. Collocation-type methods, such as Chebyshev-collocation approach, have also been used to study DDEs. One major limitation of the conventional Chebyshev collocation approach is that it is strictly applicable to DDEs with continuous coefficients. An alternative approach that can handle DDEs with piecewise continuous coefficients is the Temporal Finite Element Analysis (TFEA). However, TFEA has only linear rates of convergence and is limited to h-convergence schemes. The limited rate of convergence in TFEA has prohibited its application to a wide class of DDEs such as DDEs with complicated coefficients or with distributed and multiple delays. </p><p>In this thesis, I develop a spectral element method for the stability analysis of DDEs. The spectral element method is a Galerkin-type approach that discretizes the infinite dimensional DDE into a finite set of algebraic equations (or a dynamic map). The stability of the system is then studied using the eigenvalues of the map. </p><p>In contrast to TFEA, the spectral element method was shown to have exponential rates of convergence and hp-refinement capabilities. Further, a comparison with the widely-used collocation methods showed that our approach can often yield higher rates of convergence. The higher rates of convergence of the developed approach enabled extending it to DDEs with multiple and distributed delays. I further extended this approach to calculating the periodic orbits of DDEs and their stability. </p><p>As an application of the methods developed in this thesis, I studied the stability of turning and milling models. For example, a distributed force model was proposed to characterize cutting forces in turning. The stability of the resulting delay integro-differential equation was studied using the methods developed in this study and they were shown to agree with practical observations. As another example, the stability of a milling process--- whose model contains piecewise coefficients---was investigated. The effect of multiple-flute engagement, which contributed to the complexity of the coefficients, was also investigated. The resulting stability charts revealed new stability observations in comparison to typical analysis methods. Specifically, I was able to show that unstable regions appear in what was deemed a stable region by prior analysis techniques.</p> / Dissertation

Inadequate or weak preparatory work before starting construction of any structure may cause serious problems during the construction period. For example, projects without sufficient detailed drawings or construction schedules and a disorganized building site can create many problems in the management and completion of the construction works. Consequently, the cost of construction increases digressively, the construction duration of the project extends and the quality of construction is affected adversely. This study dwells on the importance of construction schedules in achieving the aim of producing good quality construction work within the specified duration. Monitoring continuously the interactive relation concerning delays in construction schedules and contractor demands is a complicated process. Here the simplest and basic approach is that, both for owner and contractor, time is money and for this reason construction schedule delays should be analyzed and corrective measures should be taken in a timely manner. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the causes of construction schedule delays and the methods of schedule delay analyses. In this context completion construction works of a covered swimming pool building in Ankara was selected as a case study for analyzing project scheduling and the delays therein. The &ldquo / Time Impact Analysis Method&rdquo / (TIA) was applied to the case study project using PRIMAVERA&reg / software in order to determine the construction schedule delays / to measure the impacts of these delays on the project completion duration / and to allocate responsibility amongst the project participants for preventing delay claims. After the application of the delay analysis it was observed that the delays in the critical activities extended the project duration by 57 days in total i.e. by 15.4 % of the estimated construction period. Fines should have been paid by the contractor because of 31-days non-excusable delays. Also, the contractor should have been given a time extension of 26-days due to 22-days excusable compensable delays and 4-days excusable non-compensable delays which were beyond the control of the contractor. These delays were caused due to organizational deficiencies of the owner, the bureaucracy of the provincial municipality, the lack of detail drawings during the municipality application, the lack of experience of the contractor, problems in material procurement, unforeseeable weather conditions and shortages of qualified employees of the subcontractors. It was observed that of these all except one correspond to the important causes of delays as reported in literature concerning public projects in Turkey.

In this dissertation, we will investigate the global stability for some uncertain neural networks with multiple time-varying delays. These well-known neural networks include delayed cellular neural networks (DCNNs), delayed bidirectional associative memory neural networks (DBAMNNs), and delayed Cohen-Grossberg neural networks (DCGNNs). Delay-dependent and delay-independent criteria will be proposed to guarantee the robust stability of these uncertain delayed neural networks via linear matrix inequality (LMI) approach. Three types of uncertainties on feedback and delayed feedback matrices in these uncertain delayed neural networks will be considered in this study, namely uncertainties with structured perturbation, norm-bounded unstructured perturbation, and interval perturbation. Some numerical examples will be given to illustrate the effectiveness of our results. Some comparisions are made to show that our results are better than some results in recent literature.

<p>This master’s thesis describes the development of a model of the catalystsystem aiming at control by an MPC. A well functioning model, which is suitable in control purpose, is important while emission legislation become more and more hard to fulfill for the car manufacturers. Much research has been done in the field of physical modeling of the system, but in this work a linear adaptive time discrete ARX-model is developed and validated.</p><p>The systems tendency to change its dynamic during usage implies that the model must be adaptive. The developed model proved to be well functioning and shows promising conditions for the MPC design. The system and the model are analyzed in the time- and frequency domains and the model is both implemented and validated in a Saab 9-5.</p><p>The work has been performed both at Saab Automobile Powertrain AB in Södertälje and in Vehicular Systems Dept. of Electrical Engineering at Linköpings University.</p>

This study explored the way members of one family understand the presence of developmental delays, especially Asperger Syndrome, in the children of that family. Specifically the study sought to glean how each parent constructed individual understanding of the presence of Asperger Syndrome in their twin, 13 year-old boys. It also sought to explore how each twin experienced the phenomenon of being labeled a child with Asperger Syndrome, and how their experiences affected their growing understanding of the syndrome. A third son, 10 years old, with PDD-NOS, was also a central focus in this study in that he also created and shared experiences that affected his, his brothers, and his parents understanding of Asperger Syndrome. Findings indicate that each member of the family constructs an individual understanding of the syndrome, based on personal experiences and attitudes. While this is not surprising, it is interesting to note how these divergent constructed understandings mesh and mingle with each other in the familys experiences. Both parents approached the onset of their boys Asperger Syndrome by sorting through very different world views and backgrounds. Yet both essentially define the syndrome in the same terms. They deal with their children differently, especially when juxtaposing similar tasks, i.e., helping with the childs homework, yet they often describe the basic deficits each child has as if speaking from one voice. Within the range of understanding how a learning difference affects a child, it is natural that there would be some denial and/or rejection of the effects on that child. This study found that to be quite true in this family. The study also found that the boys understanding was not that well developed, perhaps a function of some denial and/or rejection by the parents. But perhaps not.