Future Vehicle Technologies (Canada)

This paper presents a novel real-time fuzzy logic control (FLC) configuration for energy management of a fuel cell/battery vehicle. To do so, three FLCs, in a parallel structure, have been designed and optimized by a genetic algorithm for variant driving behavior. Subsequently, a velocity classifier is employed to set the most suitable weighting factor at each moment, regarding the speed level. Finally, performance of the proposed FLC, concerning degradation and fuel consumption, has been compared with optimal results, achieved by dynamic programming, for three distinct driving cycles. The comparison outcomes prove the success of the suggested fuzzy strategy.

This study investigated the relationship between use of light rapid or light rail transit (LRT) systems by persons with severe visual impairments and independence in orientation and mobility. It found that orientation and mobility training on LRT systems would resolve many of the difficulties that users of the systems encountered. Modification that would make the systems more easily accessible to visually impaired travelers are suggested.

Abstract For 3 years and in two planting locations, date of bud burst was monitored on Douglas-fir saplings from 16 Pacific Northwest provenances. Provenances planted in the Willamette Valley in western Oregon differed genetically in their date of bud burst. Saplings planted in western British Columbia burst bud an average of 16 days later than in Oregon. The significant provenance x year interaction in Oregon seemed due more to a scale effect rather than to a large shifting in provenance rankings in the different years. Correlations showed that provenances originating from areas with low summer rainfall tended to have early bud burst. These field results, coupled with those of recent growth-room studies, indicate that summer drought in some areas of the Pacific Northwest may have resulted in the natural selection of seedlings with early bud burst. Forest Sci. 25:161-167.