In this study, a novel technique for identifying and categorizing flaws in small-scale photovoltaic systems is presented. First, a supervised machine learning (neural network) was developed for the fault detection process based on the estimated output power. Second, an extra tree supervised algorithm was used for extracting important features from a current-voltage (I–V) curve. Third, a multi-stacking-based ensemble learning algorithm was developed to effectively classify faults in solar panels. In this work, single faults and multiple faults are investigated. The benefit of the stacking strategy is that it can combine the strengths of several machine learning-based algorithms that are known to deliver good results on classification tasks, producing results that are more precise and efficient than those produced by a single algorithm. The approach was tested using an experimental dataset and the findings show that it could accurately diagnose faults (a detection rate of around 98.56% and a classification rate of around 96.21%). A comparison study with different ensemble learning algorithms (AdaBoost, CatBoost, and XGBoost) was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the suggested method.

Rehabilitation robots, particularly lower-limb exoskeletons, are transforming healthcare by assisting individuals with mobility impairments. This study introduces a novel Sliding Mode Control (SMC) system based on a fractional-order reaching law, designed to enhance control performance and robustness. The proposed approach effectively manages the exoskeleton’s dynamic behavior, particularly during the transient regime, by reducing initial torque energy demand during start-up, ensuring precise trajectory tracking, and prioritizing patient safety and comfort. The method’s effectiveness is validated through MATLAB simulations and supported by a rigorous dual stability analysis, demonstrating asymptotic and finite-time convergence of the system in the reaching and sliding phases. A Comparison study with traditional SMC techniques proves that the FO-RL-SMC significantly improves energy efficiency during the transient phase and the overall dynamical behavior of the system. These results highlight the potential of the proposed FO-RL-SMC system to advance the performance of rehabilitation robots, emphasizing its value in addressing complex control challenges and improving patient outcomes.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows the mapping of the brain activation through measurements of the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) contrast. The characterization of the pathway from the input stimulus to the output BOLD signal requires the selection of an adequate hemodynamic model and the satisfaction of some specific conditions while conducting the experiment and calibrating the model. This paper, focuses on the identifiability of the Balloon hemodynamic model. By identifiability, we mean the ability to estimate accurately the model parameters given the input and the output measurement. Previous studies of the Balloon model have somehow added knowledge either by choosing prior distributions for the parameters, freezing some of them, or looking for the solution as a projection on a natural basis of some vector space. In these studies, the identification was generally assessed using event-related paradigms. This paper justifies the reasons behind the need of adding knowledge, choosing certain paradigms, and completing the few existing identifiability studies through a global sensitivity analysis of the Balloon model in the case of blocked design experiment.