The presence of cloud shadows in satellite imageries decreases the reflectance of the objects under the shades to relatively low intensities, leads to identification errors. Thus, cloud shadows detection is crucial in image processing steps. We integrated solar position modelling, projective geometry modelling, and spectral thresholding to detect cloud shadows in Landsat 8 imageries. We evaluated the algorithm using the window area of Mount Halimun-Salak, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. The best rate accuracies of cloud shadow detection using the algorithm was obtained at producer's accuracy, user's accuracy and κ of 63.79%, 70.58%, and 0.66, respectively. Possibility of improving the algorithm for correcting the reflectance of the objects under the shades instead of removing is discussed.
Cloud computing has a fundamental impact on information technology. It is a delivery model in which computing resources (such as computer networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) are made available as virtual resources in on-demanf manner. A major challenge for cloud computing suppliers is to provide adequate security levels to protect users' data. A lot of research has been carried out with this target. In this paper, we evaluated public cloud performance considering different security schemes of firewalls and VPNs c under four scenarios: no firewall no VPN, firewall-only, VPN-only and a combination of firewall and VPN. A simulated cloud model was created to evaluate the public cloud performance under the above scenarios. The results suggest that the cloud server throughput and point-to-point utilization are agnostic to the implemented security sheme. On the other hand, the queing delay is slightly affected when firewalls are used.
The success of implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) depends heavily on its degree of integration with the local environment. To improve the efficiency in deploying TQM in China, it is required that Chinese enterprises find proper focuses in the management system that can remarkably raise quality level and improve enterprise competitiveness. This study employs the Grounded Theory methodology to analyze in depth the TQM practice of Chinese manufacturing enterprises that have won the China Quality Award, and summarizes from those cases the critical factors that Chinese manufacturing enterprises should lay emphasis on when deploying TQM. This paper then compares the factors of TQM practice between Chinese and Western enterprises from both social and cultural perspectives, and explains the changes and new features of QM development in Chinese enterprises.
Global warming, the decline of oil resources, as well as the introduction of emission regulations, has led to a research focus in new drive technologies. Whereas hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) can only be considered as a transition technology, electric vehicles (EV) and fuel cell vehicles (FCV) are zero emission technologies; HEV are only considered a bridge technology. FCV enable longer ranges and faster refills at the cost of a moderate increase in fuel cost. Challenges for an overall acceptance of fuel cell vehicles are the degradation mechanisms of the fuel cell that lead to a very limited lifetime. Current research focuses on energy management strategies to reduce the overall energy demand by predicting the vehicles coarse power consumption on the overall trip. This prediction is used to optimize the control of the drivetrain components. This paper reviews energy management strategies and points out the lack of research in the prediction of short-term speed changes. The knowledge of short-term speed changes can drastically reduce degradation mechanisms by avoiding power fluctuations in the fuel cell as well as in the battery. The proposed hierarchical model predictive control strategy is able to incorporate the knowledge of long-term energy consumption to minimize the energy demand as well as the short-term speed predictions to avoid degradation mechanisms. The suggested system will lead to longer lasting vehicles and to a better acceptance of fuel cell vehicles. To incorporate a drive data pool, this paper describes the development of onboard micro trips by evaluating the driving information and splitting them into sub-trips.
In a group of individuals aiming for a collective decision, that decision is influenced by individual competences, but these are in turn subject to a reciprocal influence. Such an influence may lead to less competent agents exerting an unduly influence, a phenomenon known as equality bias. In this paper an agent-based model is proposed to investigate the evolution of competences under such a reciprocal influence. Through MonteCarlo simulation it is shown that: a) the average competence at steady state diminishes as the degree of interaction among the agents and/or the number of agents grow, both in the case of just positive influence (more competent agents increasing the competence of less competent one) and when both positive and negative influences are present; b) the convergence towards a steady state value is slow and characterized by oscillations.
