Caterpillar Inc.

About: Caterpillar Inc. is a company organization based out in Peoria, Illinois, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Internal combustion engine & Piston. The organization has 12786 authors who have published 16577 publications receiving 181030 citations. The organization is also known as: Caterpillar Tractor Company & CAT.

Autonomous Driving in Urban Environments: Boss and the Urban Challenge.

Abstract: Boss is an autonomous vehicle that uses on-board sensors (global positioning system, lasers, radars, and cameras) to track other vehicles, detect static obstacles, and localize itself relative to a road model. A three-layer planning system combines mission, behavioral, and motion planning to drive in urban environments. The mission planning layer considers which street to take to achieve a mission goal. The behavioral layer determines when to change lanes and precedence at intersections and performs error recovery maneuvers. The motion planning layer selects actions to avoid obstacles while making progress toward local goals. The system was developed from the ground up to address the requirements of the DARPA Urban Challenge using a spiral system development process with a heavy emphasis on regular, regressive system testing. During the National Qualification Event and the 85-km Urban Challenge Final Event, Boss demonstrated some of its capabilities, qualifying first and winning the challenge. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Autonomous driving in urban environments: Boss and the Urban Challenge

Abstract: Boss is an autonomous vehicle that uses on-board sensors (global positioning system, lasers, radars, and cameras) to track other vehicles, detect static obstacles, and localize itself relative to a road model. A three-layer planning system combines mission, behavioral, and motion planning to drive in urban environments. The mission planning layer considers which street to take to achieve a mission goal. The behavioral layer determines when to change lanes and precedence at intersections and performs error recovery maneuvers. The motion planning layer selects actions to avoid obstacles while making progress toward local goals. The system was developed from the ground up to address the requirements of the DARPA Urban Challenge using a spiral system development process with a heavy emphasis on regular, regressive system testing. During the National Qualification Event and the 85-km Urban Challenge Final Event, Boss demonstrated some of its capabilities, qualifying first and winning the challenge. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stress-based topology optimization for continua

Abstract: We propose an effective algorithm to resolve the stress-constrained topology optimization problem. Our procedure combines a density filter for length scale control, the solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) to generate black-and-white designs, a SIMP-motivated stress definition to resolve the stress singularity phenomenon, and a global/regional stress measure combined with an adaptive normalization scheme to control the local stress level.

Cultural influences on knowledge sharing through online communities of practice

Abstract: – The purpose of this study is to explore cultural factors influencing knowledge sharing strategies in virtual communities of practice., – A qualitative research design was employed. Data collection was based on in‐depth interviews. The authors assumed that such factors as degree of collectivism, competitiveness, the importance of saving face, in‐group orientation, attention paid to power and hierarchy, and culture‐specific preferences for communication modes, would explain differences in knowledge seeking and sharing patterns., – The results showed that these factors had different levels of importance among employees in the three participating countries. The issue of saving face was less important than expected in China. Modesty requirements as well as a high degree of competitiveness among employees were found to be serious barriers to information sharing in China, but not in Russia and Brazil. Perceived differences in power and hierarchy seemed to be less critical in all three countries than initially assumed., – Since this study was conducted among the online community members of Caterpillar Inc., the results could be affected by factors unique to this specific case. Thus, future research should investigate the influence of other factors such as the organizational culture, or occupational groups on knowledge sharing strategies., – Before any introduction of country‐specific knowledge sharing systems, a cultural needs assessment should be conducted., – The impact of national culture factors on knowledge sharing has been largely neglected in the literature, and the findings will assist knowledge managers charged with the design of flexible knowledge management systems.

Self-induction-type stroke sensor

Abstract: Within a body, a sensor member, which has one end supported in a cantilever fashion adjacent a predetermined end of the body and has the other end extending into a space of the body, includes a coil section having a plurality of coil segments that are excitable in a same phase by a predetermined A.C. signal and sequentially arranged along a direction of linear movement of a movable member. The movable member has an inner space to permit entry of the sensor member into the movable member. Inner peripheral wall of the movable member defining the inner space includes a magnetism-responsive substance containing a magnetic or electrically-conductive material. Relative positions of the magnetism-responsive substance and the coil section vary in accordance with a stroke position of the movable member, in response to which respective inductance of the coil segments are caused to vary in such a manner that during movement of the magnetism-responsive substance from one end to the other of a particular one of the coil segments, a voltage across the particular coil segment is caused to progressively decrease or increase.