Nonlinear control is an important subject drawing much attention. When a nonlinear system undergoes route-to-chaos, its response is naturally bounded in the time-domain while in the meantime becoming unstably broadband in the frequency-domain. Control scheme facilitated either in the time- or frequency-domain alone is insufficient in controlling route-to-chaos, where the corresponding response deteriorates in the time and frequency domains simultaneously. It is necessary to facilitate nonlinear control in both the time and frequency domains without obscuring or misinterpreting the true dynamics. The objective of the dissertation is to formulate a novel nonlinear control theory that addresses the fundamental characteristics inherent of all nonlinear systems undergoing route-to-chaos, one that requires no linearization or closed-form solution so that the genuine underlying features of the system being considered are preserved. The theory developed herein is able to identify the dynamic state of the system in real-time and restrain time-varying spectrum from becoming broadband. Applications of the theory are demonstrated using several engineering examples including the control of a non-stationary Duffing oscillator, a 1-DOF time-delayed milling model, a 2-DOF micro-milling system, unsynchronized chaotic circuits, and a friction-excited vibrating disk. Not subject to all the mathematical constraint conditions and assumptions upon which common nonlinear control theories are based and derived, the novel theory has its philosophical basis established in the simultaneous time-frequency control, on-line system identification, and feedforward adaptive control. It adopts multi-rate control, hence enabling control over nonstationary, nonlinear response with increasing bandwidth ? a physical condition oftentimes fails the contemporary control theories. The applicability of the theory to complex multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) systems without resorting to mathematical manipulation and extensive computation is demonstrated through the multi-variable control of a micro-milling system. The research is of a broad impact on the control of a wide range of nonlinear and chaotic systems. The implications of the nonlinear time-frequency control theory in cutting, micro-machining, communication security, and the mitigation of friction-induced vibrations are both significant and immediate.

Since the inception of the backscatter-radio technology, this field has continually evolved. As a result, this technology is used for a multitude of applications like personnel identification, logistics and assets management and military purposes etc. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology works in several ISM-frequency bands. This work pertains to the design and development of an RF tag that uses 5.8 GHz ISM band for backscatter. This frequency band has many inherent advantages like higher gain antennas, smaller sized tags, increased immunity to conductive object losses, and larger RF bandwidth. The objective of this research is design and prototype development of an RF tag capable of sensing acceleration, angular motion, and shock experienced by an object on which it is installed. The sensed information is modulated onto an incident continuous wave (CW) and backscattered to the reader. Literature research suggested that such work has not been done previously using an RFID platform. The challenges include integration of the sensor, antenna and other electronics to efficiently backscatter the information to the receiver, designing a suitable planar antenna, realtime backscattering of the sensed information, and low power consumption. As a further step, it is required to design and integrate two antennas on RF tag to simultaneously backscatter the same information; and to measure and compare its effect with single antenna tag. The sensed impact/shock and rotational movement information from the inertial sensors (accelerometer and gyroscope) was backscattered instantly and displayed on the custom developed graphical user interface. The development of GUI was not part of this project and was developed by another lab member. RF Tags with single and dual antenna configurations were designed and tested. It was observed that by increasing the number of antennas higher read range can be achieved. Moreover, by doubling the antennas the radar cross-section for the tag was approximately doubled.

<p>The subject of this thesis is scattering of electromagneticwaves from planar and curved periodic structures. The problemspresented are solved in the frequency domain.</p><p>Scattering from planar structures with two-dimensionalperiodic dependence of constitutive parameters is treated. Theconstitutive parameters are assumed to vary continuously orstepwise in a cross section of a periodically repeating cell.The variation along a longitudinal coordinate z is arbitrary. Ageneral skew lattice is assumed. In the numerical examples, lowloss and high loss dielectric materials are considered. Theproblem is solved by expanding the .elds and constitutiveparameters in quasi-periodic and periodic functionsrespectively, which are inserted into Maxwell’s equations.Through various inner products de.ned with respect to the cell,and elimination of the longitudinal vector components, a linearsystem of ordinary di.erential equations for the transversecomponents of the .elds is obtained. After introducing apropagator, which maps the .elds from one transverse plane toanother, the system is solved by backward integration.Conventional thin metallic FSS screens of patch or aperturetype are included by obtaining generalised transmission andre.ection matrices for these surfaces. The transmission andre.ection matrices are obtained by solving spectral domainintegral equations. Comparisons of the obtained results aremade with experimental results (in one particular case), andwith results obtained using a computer code based on afundamentally di.erent time domain approach.</p><p>Scattering from thin singly curved structures consisting ofdielectric materials periodic in one dimension is alsoconsidered. Both the thickness and the period are assumed to besmall. The .elds are expanded in an asymptotic power series inthe thickness of the structure, and a scaled wave equation issolved. A propagator mapping the tangential .elds from one sideto the other of the structure is derived. An impedance boundarycondition for the structure coated on a perfect electricconductor is obtained.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>electromagnetic scattering, periodicstructure, frequency selective structure, frequency selectivesurface, grating, coupled wave analysis, electromagneticbandgap, photonic bandgap, asymptotic boundary condition,impedance boundary condition, spectral domain method,homogenisation</p>

Includes bibliographical references (p. 124-131).

Mice have emerged as a popular model of cortical visual processing due to their genetic manipulability. Compared to traditional animal models of visual processing there is less research describing the visual system of mice. Before we can use the genetic techniques available in mice, we must examine the similarity between their visual processing, and that of common animal models used in vision research. One useful method to characterize the way information about form and motion is processed is to examine the interaction between selectivity for spatial and temporal frequency of sine-wave gratings in a given visual area. In experiment 1, we investigated spatiotemporal tuning in neurons of mouse primary visual cortex (V1). Tuning for stimulus speed can readily be extracted from the spatiotemporal profile of a neuron, and we were interested in whether recently described differences in the degree of speed tuning in mouse V1 and macaque V1 were due to methodology. We confirm that speed tuning is rare in mouse V1, demonstrating a difference between motion processing in the striate cortex of mice and macaques. In experiment 2, we examined the spatiotemporal dependence of contrast adaptation in mouse V1 neurons. Little is known about the underlying cellular mechanisms of contrast adaptation, so the mouse provides an attractive model in which to study this phenomenon. We characterized the spatial and temporal frequency dependence of contrast adaptation in mouse V1 neurons simultaneously using a dynamic contrast ramp. We found that for most mouse V1 neurons there was often a difference between the grating that elicited maximal firing, and the grating where adaptation was most pronounced, such that adaptation was usually stronger at higher spatial frequencies.

The objective of this thesis was to determine the effects of frequency of milking and feed delivery on the behavioural patterns and productivity of lactating dairy cows. In two independent experiments, twelve free-stall housed, lactating Holstein dairy cows were exposed to either varying milking frequency or varying feed delivery frequency over 21-d periods. In the first study, cows milked three times per day and multiparous cows produced more milk than those milked twice per day and primiparous cows. Milking three times per day altered the distribution of feeding activity throughout the day. Multiparous cows had longer, and larger meals, while primiparous cows had smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day when milked three times per day. In the second study, cows delivered feed three times per day consumed more DM than those fed once per day and twice per day. Feed delivery frequency had little effect on feeding behaviour and the distribution of feeding activity, but altered the magnitude of DMI following feed delivery. Cows delivered feed more frequently achieve greater daily DMI by consuming more feed following the return from milking and the delivery of feed. / This project was financially supported by a Dairy Farmers of Ontario (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) research grant and an Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA; Guelph, Ontario, Canada)/University of Guelph Production Systems research grant. Additional project support was received from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) and the Ontario Research Fund (Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

Time-frequency analysis for non-linear and non-stationary signals is extraordinarily challenging. To capture the changes in these types of signals, it is necessary for the analysis methods to be local, adaptive and stable. In recent years, decomposition based analysis methods were developed by different researchers to deal with non-linear and non-stationary signals. These methods share the feature that a signal is decomposed into finite number of components on which the time-frequency analysis can be applied. Differences lie in the strategies to extract these components: by iteration or by optimization. However, considering the requirements of being local, adaptive and stable, neither of these decompositions are perfectly satisfactory. Motivated to find a local, adaptive and stable decomposition of a signal, this thesis presents Adaptive Local Iterative Filtering (ALIF) algorithm. The adaptivity is obtained having the filter lengths being determined by the signal itself. The locality is ensured by the filter we designed based on a PDE model. The stability of this algorithm is shown and the convergence is proved. Moreover, we also propose a local definition for the instantaneous frequency in order to achieve a completely local analysis for non-linear and non-stationary signals. Examples show that this decomposition really helps in both simulated data analysis and real world application.

The system frequency of a synchronous power system varies with the imbalance of energy supplied and the electrical energy consumed. When large generating blocks are lost, the system undergoes a frequency swing relative to the size of the loss. Limits imposed on the magnitude of frequency deviation† prevent system collapse. Operation of frequency responsive plant to control frequency, results in lower machine efficiencies. Changes to the generation mix on the British transmission system have occurred in the past ten years, when the response requirement was last reviewed. Future increased levels of wind turbines‡ will alter the operational characteristics of the system and warrant investigation. A process to optimise the response requirements while maintaining statutory limits on frequency deviation has been identified. The method requires suitable load and generator models to replicate transmission system performance. A value to substitute for current load sensitivity to frequency has been presented from empirical studies. Traditional coal fired generator models have been improved with additional functions to provide a comparable response with existing units. A novel combined cycle gas turbine model using fundamental equations and control blocks has also been developed. A doubly fed induction generator model, based on existing literature, has been introduced for representing wind turbine behaviour in system response studies. Validation of individual models and the complete system against historic loss events has established confidence in the method. A review of the current system with the dynamic model showed that current primary response requirements are inadequate. The secondary response requirements generally show a slight reduction in the holding levels. Simulations including extra wind generation have shown that there is potential to reduce the primary response requirement in the future. The secondary response requirements are maintained with added wind farms.

Thesis (LL. M.)--University of Toronto, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-52).

Thesis (M. S.)--Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008. / Committee Chair: Laskar Joy; Committee Member: Cressler John; Committee Member: Tentzeris Emmanouil