This paper adopts Taguchi’s signal-to-noise ratio analysis to optimize the dynamic characteristics of a SAW gas sensor system whose output response is linearly related to the input signal. The goal of the present dynamic characteristics study is to increase the sensitivity of the measurement system while simultaneously reducing its variability. A time- and cost-efficient finite element analysis method is utilized to investigate the effects of the deposited mass upon the resonant frequency output of the SAW biosensor. The results show that the proposed methodology not only reduces the design cost but also promotes the performance of the sensors.

The diesel engine is the main power source for most agricultural vehicles. The control of diesel engine emissions is an important global issue. Fuel injection control systems directly affect fuel efficiency and emissions of diesel engines. Deterioration faults, such as rack deformation, solenoid valve failure, and rack-travel sensor malfunction, are possibly in the fuel injection module of electronic diesel control (EDC) systems. Among these faults, solenoid valve failure is most likely to occur for in-use diesel engines. According to the previous studies, this failure is a result of the wear of the plunger and sleeve, based on a long period of usage, lubricant degradation, or engine overheating. Due to the difficulty in identifying solenoid valve deterioration, this study focuses on developing a sensor identification algorithm that can clearly classify the usability of the solenoid valve, without disassembling the fuel pump of an EDC system for in-use agricultural vehicles. A diagnostic algorithm is proposed, including a feedback controller, a parameter identifier, a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) sensor, and a neural network classifier. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can accurately identify the usability of solenoid valves.

The two aims of this study were (1) designing and developing an affordable visual reaction system for badminton training that monitors and provides instant feedback on agility; and (2) to measure and improve the footwork and movement of badminton players and output useful reference data. Ten junior high school badminton players were invited to serve as the subjects of this study. They participated in a three-week (nine sessions) training program. Training was primarily in the form of fixed or random footwork drills. Timed tests were performed before and after each session to measure the players’ agility in performing six-point and four-point footwork drills. The results were compared to the training effects calculated using dependent-sample t-tests. In addition, the long-term durability and functionality of the training system were tested. The training system was able to maintain stable and reliable training and evaluation operations for extended periods. Results showed significant improvements in the visual reaction time (p = 0.003) and agility (p = 0.001) of players. The proposed training system is an affordable option for training and monitoring, evaluating, and recording training performance. It can accurately record movement and response times and simulate competitive environments.

This study developed a method for designing parallel two-degree-of-freedom proportional-integral-derivative controllers for unstable time-delay processes with unknown dynamic equations. First, a performance index accounting for both transient response performance and disturbance rejection was developed. To obtain useful data even if the output of the system exceeds the allowable range, an effective penalty function was included in the performance index. The N–M simplex method was used to iteratively determine the optimal controller parameters. The proposed approach has the following advantages: (1) it can be used regardless of the stability of the open-loop system; (2) the mathematical model and parameters of the process need not be known in advance; (3) it can be used for processes that include measurement noise; (4) it has good transient response performance and is also robust against external disturbances; and (5) it enables more efficient controller design and reduces costs.

This paper presents an efficient method for designing optimal controllers. First, we established a performance index according to the system characteristics. In order to ensure that this performance index is applicable even when the state/output of the system is not within the allowable range, we added a penalty function. When we use a certain controller, if the state/output of the system remains within the allowable range within the preset time interval, the penalty function value is zero. Conversely, if the system state/output is not within the allowable range before the preset termination time, the experiment/simulation is terminated immediately, and the penalty function value is proportional to the time difference between the preset termination time and the time at which the experiment was terminated. Then, we used the Nelder–Mead simplex method to search for the optimal controller parameters. The proposed method has the following advantages: (1) the dynamic equation of the system need not be known; (2) the method can be used regardless of the stability of the open-loop system; (3) this method can be used in nonlinear systems; (4) this method can be used in systems with measurement noise; and (5) the method can improve design efficiency.