Search Results (33)

With the rapid development of precision seeding technology, which plays a vital role in promoting large-scale cultivation, reducing seed loss, increasing crop yield, and improving land use efficiency, a maize precision seed metering control system based on KF-RTS fusion speed measurement has been developed to address the issues of ground wheel slippage and chain bounce in Chinese precision planters during high-speed operation, as well as the problems of speed measurement delay, motor control lag, and susceptibility to interference in existing electric drive seeders. The system comprises an STM32 master controller, a speed acquisition unit, a seed metering drive unit, and a human–machine interaction interface. By employing a multi-rate KF-RTS (Kalman Filter-Rauch-Tung-Striebel Smoother) fusion algorithm that integrates RTK-GNSS and accelerometer data, it significantly enhances the accuracy and real-time performance of forward speed measurement. A control strategy combining Kalman filtering with a fuzzy PID controller, optimized by a particle swarm algorithm, enables the control system to converge rapidly within 0.10 s with a steady-state error below 0.55%, achieving precise and stable regulation of the seed metering shaft speed. Field test results demonstrate that the qualified index of seed spacing reaches no less than 94.11% under the fusion speed measurement method. Compared to the RTK-GNSS speed measurement alone, the coefficient of variation in seed spacing is reduced by 3.85% to 6.93%, effectively resolving seed spacing deviations caused by speed measurement delays and improving seeding uniformity. Full article

To mitigate the impact of north–south strip errors inherent in Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) spherical harmonic coefficient solutions, this research develops a state-space model to generate a more robust solution. The efficacy of the state-space model is demonstrated by comparing its performance with that of conventional filtering methods and hydrological modeling schemes. The method is subsequently applied to estimate the GRACE Groundwater Drought Index in the California Central Valley basin, a region significantly affected by drought during the GRACE observation period. This analysis quantifies the severity of droughts and floods while investigating the direct influences of precipitation, runoff, evaporation, and anthropogenic activities. By incorporating the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, the study offers a detailed causal analysis and proposes a novel methodology for water resource management and disaster early warning. The results indicate that a moderate-duration flood event in 2006 resulted in a recharge of 19.81 km³ of water resources in the California Central Valley basin, whereas prolonged droughts in 2008 and 2013, lasting over 15 months, led to groundwater depletion of 41.53 km³ and 91.45 km³, respectively. Precipitation and runoff are identified as the primary determinants of local drought and flood conditions. The occurrence of ENSO events correlates with sustained precipitation variations over the subsequent 2–3 months, resulting in corresponding changes in groundwater storage. Full article

Accurate and reliable pedestrian positioning service is essential for providing Indoor Location-Based Services (ILBSs). Zero-Velocity Update (ZUPT)-aided Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (SINS) based on foot-mounted wearable Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) has shown great performance in pedestrian navigation systems. Though the velocity errors will be corrected once zero-velocity measurement is available, the navigation system errors accumulated during measurement outages are yet to be further optimized by utilizing historical data during both stance and swing phases of pedestrian gait. Thus, in this paper, a novel Forward–Backward navigation and Rauch–Tung–Striebel smoothing (FB-RTS) navigation scheme is proposed. First, to efficiently re-estimate past system state and reduce accumulated navigation error once zero-velocity measurement is available, both the forward and backward integration method and the corresponding error equations are constructed. Second, to further improve navigation accuracy and reliability by exploiting historical observation information, both backward and forward RTS algorithms are established, where the system model and observation model are built under the output correction mode. Finally, both navigation results are combined to achieve the final estimation of attitude and velocity, where the position is recalculated by the optimized data. Through simulation experiments and two sets of field tests, the FB-RTS algorithm demonstrated superior performance in reducing navigation errors and smoothing pedestrian trajectories compared to traditional ZUPT method and both the FB and the RTS method, whose advantage becomes more pronounced over longer navigation periods than the traditional methods, offering a robust solution for positioning applications in smart buildings, indoor wayfinding, and emergency response operations. Full article

Ground-based synthetic aperture radar (GBSAR) has been widely used in the fields of early warning of geologic hazards and deformation monitoring of engineering structures due to its characteristics of high spatial resolution, zero spatial baseline, and short revisit period. However, in the continuous monitoring process of GBSAR, due to the sudden failure of radar equipment, such as power failure, or the influence of alternating work between multiple regions, it often leads to discontinuous data collection, and this problem caused by missing data is collectively called “inspection mode”. The problem of missing data in the inspection mode not only destroys the spatial and temporal continuity of the data but also affects the accuracy of the subsequent deformation analysis. In order to solve this problem, in this paper, we propose a data reconstruction method that combines Sage–Husa Kalman adaptive filtering and the Rauch–Tung–Striebel (RTS) smoothing algorithm. The method is based on the principle of Kalman filtering and solves the problem of “model mismatch” caused by the fixed noise statistics of traditional Kalman filtering by dynamically adjusting the noise covariance to adapt to the non-stationary characteristics of the observed data. Subsequently, the Rauch–Tung–Striebel (RTS) smoothing algorithm is used to process the preliminary filtering results to eliminate the cumulative error during the period of missing data and recover the complete and smooth deformation time series. The experimental and simulation results show that this method successfully restores the spatial and temporal continuity of the inspection data, thus improving the overall accuracy and stability of deformation monitoring. Full article

Although existing motion transfer methods for bionic robot arms are based on kinematic equivalence or simplified dynamic models, they frequently fail to tackle dynamic compliance and real-time adaptability in complex human-like motions. To address this shortcoming, this study presents a motion transfer method from the human arm to a bionic robot arm based on the hybrid PSO-RF (Particle Swarm Optimization-Random Forest) algorithm to improve joint space mapping accuracy and dynamic compliance. Initially, a high-precision optical motion capture (Mocap) system was utilized to record human arm trajectories, and Kalman filtering and a Rauch–Tung–Striebel (RTS) smoother were applied to reduce noise and phase lag. Subsequently, the joint angles of the human arm were computed through geometric vector analysis. Although geometric vector analysis offers an initial estimation of joint angles, its deterministic framework is subject to error accumulation caused by the occlusion of reflective markers and kinematic singularities. To surmount this limitation, this study designed five action sequences for the establishment of the training database for the PSO-RF model to predict joint angles when performing different actions. Ultimately, an experimental platform was built to validate the motion transfer method, and the experimental verification showed that the system attained high prediction accuracy (R² = 0.932 for the elbow joint angle) and real-time performance with a latency of 0.1097 s. This paper promotes compliant human–robot interaction by dealing with joint-level dynamic transfer challenges, presenting a framework for applications in intelligent manufacturing and rehabilitation robotics. Full article

Despite the pivotal role of filtering and smoothing techniques in the preprocessing of ship maneuvering data for robust identification, persistent challenges in reconciling noise suppression with dynamic fidelity preservation have limited algorithmic advancements in recent decades. We propose an online smoothing method enhanced by the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm framework that effectively extracts high-fidelity dynamic features from raw maneuvering data, thereby enhancing the fidelity of subsequent ship identification systems. Our method effectively addresses the challenges posed by heavy-tailed Student-t distributed noise and parameter uncertainty inherent in ship motion data, demonstrating robust parameter learning capabilities, even when initial ship motion system parameters deviate from real conditions. Through iterative data assimilation, the algorithm adaptively calibrates noise distribution parameters while preserving motion smoothness, achieving superior accuracy in velocity and heading estimation compared to conventional Rauch–Tung–Striebel (RTS) smoothers. By integrating parameter adaptation within the smoothing framework, the proposed method reduces motion prediction errors by 23.6% in irregular sea states, as validated using real ship motion data from autonomous navigation tests. Full article

The utilization of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites’ signals of opportunity (SOPs) for absolute positioning and navigation in global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-denied environments has emerged as a significant area of research. Among various methodologies, tightly integrated Doppler/inertial navigation system (INS) frameworks present a promising solution for achieving real-time LEO-SOP-based positioning in dynamic scenarios. However, existing integration schemes generally overlook the key characteristics of LEO opportunity signals, including the limited number of visible satellites and the random nature of signal broadcasts. These factors exacerbate the weak observability inherent in LEO-SoOP Doppler/INS positioning, resulting in difficulty in obtaining reliable solutions and degraded positioning accuracy. To address these issues, this paper proposes a novel LEO-SOP Doppler/INS tight integration method that incorporates trending information to alleviate the problem of weak observability. The method leverages a parallel filtering structure combining extended Kalman filter (EKF) and Rauch–Tung–Striebel (RTS) smoothing, extracting trend information from the quasi-real-time high-precision RTS filtering results to optimize the EKF positioning solution for the current epoch. This approach effectively avoids the overfitting problem commonly associated with directly using batch data to estimate the current epoch state. The experimental results validate the improved positioning accuracy and robustness of the proposed method. Full article

This study presents an innovative approach to predicting the water level in the San Juan River, Chocó, Colombia, by implementing two hybrid models: nonlinear auto-regressive with exogenous inputs (NARX) and long short-term memory (LSTM). These models combine artificial neural networks with smoothing techniques, including the exponential, Savitzky–Golay, and Rauch–Tung–Striebel (RTS) smoothing filters, with the aim of improving the accuracy of hydrological predictions. Given the high rainfall in the region, the San Juan River experiences significant fluctuations in its water levels, which presents a challenge for accurate prediction. The models were trained using historical data, and various smoothing techniques were applied to optimize data quality and reduce noise. The effectiveness of the models was evaluated using standard regression metrics, such as Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), mean square error (MSE), and mean absolute error (MAE), in addition to Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE). The results show that the combination of neural networks with smoothing filters, especially the RTS filter and smoothed Kalman filter, provided the most accurate predictions, outperforming traditional methods. This research has important implications for water resource management and flood prevention in vulnerable areas such as Chocó. The implementation of these hybrid models will allow local authorities to anticipate changes in water levels and plan preventive measures more effectively, thus reducing the risk of damage from extreme events. In summary, this study establishes a solid foundation for future research in water level prediction, highlighting the importance of integrating advanced technologies in water resources management. Full article

The use of inertial measurement units (IMUs) as an alternative to optical marker-based systems has the potential to make gait analysis part of the clinical standard of care. Previously, an IMU-based system leveraging Rauch–Tung–Striebel smoothing to estimate knee angles was assessed using a six-degrees-of-freedom joint simulator. In a clinical setting, however, accurately measuring abduction/adduction and external/internal rotation of the knee joint is particularly challenging, especially in the presence of soft tissue artefacts. In this study, the in vivo IMU-based joint angles of 40 asymptomatic knees were assessed during level walking, under two distinct sensor placement configurations: (1) IMUs fixed to a rigid harness, and (2) IMUs mounted on the skin using elastic hook-and-loop bands (from here on referred to as “skin-mounted IMUs”). Estimates were compared against values obtained from a harness-mounted optical marker-based system. The comparison of these three sets of kinematic signals (IMUs on harness, IMUs on skin, and optical markers on harness) was performed before and after implementation of a REference FRame Alignment MEthod (REFRAME) to account for the effects of differences in coordinate system orientations. Prior to the implementation of REFRAME, in comparison to optical estimates, skin-mounted IMU-based angles displayed mean root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) up to 6.5°, while mean RMSEs for angles based on harness-mounted IMUs peaked at 5.1°. After REFRAME implementation, peak mean RMSEs were reduced to 4.1°, and 1.5°, respectively. The negligible differences between harness-mounted IMUs and the optical system after REFRAME revealed that the IMU-based system was capable of capturing the same underlying motion pattern as the optical reference. In contrast, obvious differences between the skin-mounted IMUs and the optical reference indicated that the use of a harness led to fundamentally different joint motion being measured, even after accounting for reference frame misalignments. Fluctuations in the kinematic signals associated with harness use suggested the rigid device oscillated upon heel strike, likely due to inertial effects from its additional mass. Our study proposes that optical systems can be successfully replaced by more cost-effective IMUs with similar accuracy, but further investigation (especially in vivo and upon heel strike) against moving videofluoroscopy is recommended. Full article

High-precision navigation systems are crucial for unmanned autonomous vessels. However, commonly used Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals are often severely affected by environmental obstruction, leading to reduced positioning accuracy or even the inability to locate. To address the issues caused by signal obstruction in high-precision navigation systems, the research presented in this paper proposes a vector-tracking loop (VTL) structure based on the forward Kalman Filter (KF) and the backward Rauch Tung Striebel (RTS) smoothing algorithm. The introduction of loop filters in the signal-tracking loop improves the tracking accuracy of the carrier and code, thereby enhancing the stability and robustness of the navigation system. The traditional scalar-tracking loop (STL), traditional VTL, and Kalman Filter (KF)-based VTL were compared through shipborne motion experiments, and the proposed method demonstrated superior signal-tracking capability and navigation accuracy. In the experiment, there were three blocking areas along the experimental path. The experimental results show that, when there are signal blockages of 12 s, 18 s, and 40 s, compared to the traditional VTL method, the proposed method can reduce the horizontal position error by 93.9%, 95.8%, and 94.5%, respectively, as well as the horizontal velocity error by 71.1%, 95.8%, and 97.6%, respectively. Full article

High−precision and robust localization is critical for intelligent vehicle and transportation systems, while the sensor signal loss or variance could dramatically affect the localization performance. The vehicle localization problem in an environment with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal errors is investigated in this study. The error state Kalman filtering (ESKF) and Rauch–Tung–Striebel (RTS) smoother are integrated using the data from Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and GNSS sensors. A segmented RTS smoothing algorithm is proposed in order to estimate the error state, which is typically close to zero and mostly linear, which allows more accurate linearization and improved state estimation accuracy. The proposed algorithm is evaluated using simulated GNSS signals with and without signal errors. The simulation results demonstrate its superior accuracy and stability for state estimation. The designed ESKF algorithm yielded an approximate 3% improvement in long straight line and turning scenarios compared to classical EKF algorithm. Additionally, the ESKF−RTS algorithm exhibited a 10% increase in the localization accuracy compared to the ESKF algorithm. In the double turning scenarios, the ESKF algorithm resulted in an improvement of about 50% in comparison to the EKF algorithm, while the ESKF−RTS algorithm improved by about 50% compared to the ESKF algorithm. These results indicated that the proposed ESKF−RTS algorithm is more robust and provides more accurate localization. Full article

The traditional railway survey adopts a manual observation method, such as a total station measuring system. This method has high precision, but the amount of data is small, and the measurement efficiency is low. Manual measurement cannot meet the requirements of dynamic continuous high-precision holographic measurement during railway outages. Mobile laser scanning is a mobile mapping system based mainly on a laser scanner, inertial measurement unit (IMU) and panoramic camera. Mobile laser scanning has the advantages of high efficiency, high precision and automation. However, integrating inertial navigation data and mobile laser scanning data to obtain real 3D information about railways has always been an urgent problem to be solved. Therefore, a point cloud reconstruction method is proposed based on trajectory filtering for a mobile laser scanning system. This paper corrects the odometer data by identifying railway feature points through deep learning and uses Rauch–Tung–Striebel (RTS) filtering to optimize the trajectory results. Combined with the railway experimental track data, the maximum difference in the east and north coordinate direction can be controlled within 7 cm, and the average elevation error is 2.39 cm. This paper applies a multi-sensor integrated mobile detection system to railway detection. It is of great significance to the healthy development of the intelligent railway system. Full article

Traditional precise engineering surveys adopt manual static, discrete observation, which cannot meet the dynamic, continuous, high-precision and holographic fine measurements required for large-scale infrastructure construction, operation and maintenance, where mobile laser scanning technology is becoming popular. However, in environments without GNSS signals, it is difficult to use mobile laser scanning technology to obtain 3D data. We fused a scanner with an inertial navigation system, odometer and inclinometer to establish and track mobile laser measurement systems. The control point constraints and Rauch-Tung-Striebel filter smoothing were fused, and a 3D point cloud generation method based on multi-sensor fusion was proposed. We verified the method based on the experimental data; the average deviation of positioning errors in the horizontal and elevation directions were 0.04 m and 0.037 m, respectively. Compared with the stop-and-go mode of the Amberg GRP series trolley, this method greatly improved scanning efficiency; compared with the method of generating a point cloud in an absolute coordinate system based on tunnel design data conversion, this method improved data accuracy. It effectively avoided the deformation of the tunnel, the sharp increase of errors and more accurately and quickly processed the tunnel point cloud data. This method provided better data support for subsequent tunnel analysis such as 3D display, as-built surveying and disease system management of rail transit tunnels. Full article

This paper proposes novel unbiased minimum-variance receding-horizon fixed-lag (UMVRHF) smoothers in batch and recursive forms for linear discrete time-varying state space models in order to improve the computational efficiency and the estimation performance of receding-horizon fixed-lag (RHF) smoothers. First, an UMVRHF smoother in batch form is proposed by combining independent receding-horizon local estimators for two separated sub-horizons. The local estimates and their error covariance matrices are obtained based on an optimal receding horizon filter and the smoother in terms of the unbiased minimum variance; they are then optimally combined using Millman’s theorem. Next, the recursive form of the proposed UMVRHF smoother is derived to improve its computational efficiency and extendibility. Additionally, we introduce a method for extending the proposed recursive smoothing algorithm to a posteriori state estimations and propose the Rauch–Tung–Striebel receding-horizon fixed-lag smoother in recursive form. Furthermore, a computational complexity reduction technique that periodically switches the two proposed recursive smoothing algorithms is proposed. The performance and effectiveness of the proposed smoothers are demonstrated by comparing their estimation results with those of previous algorithms for Kalman and receding-horizon fixed-lag smoothers via numerical experiments. Full article

In this paper, an adaptive fading-memory receding-horizon (AFMRH) filter is proposed by combining the receding-horizon structure and the adaptive fading-memory method. In the recent finite horizon, state error covariance is adapted with an adaptive fading factor; then the process noise covariance matrix adaption is realized by adjusting the properties of systems. An AFMRH fixed-lag smoother is also proposed by combining the proposed AFMRH filtering algorithm and a Rauch–Tung–Striebel smoothing algorithm to improve the estimation accuracy. Because the proposed AFMRH filter and smoother are reduced to the optimal receding-horizon (RH) filter and smoother when all measurements have the same weight, the proposed adaptive RH estimators could provide a more general solution than the optimal RH filter and smoother. To reduce the complexity and improve the estimation performance of the proposed RH estimators, an adaptive horizon adjustment method and a switching filtering algorithm based on an adaptive fading factor are also proposed. In particular, the proposed adaptive horizon adjustment method is designed to be computationally efficient, which makes it suitable for online and real-time applications. Through computer simulation, the performance and adaptiveness of the proposed approaches were verified by comparing them with existing fading-memory approaches. Full article