Mechanical model of the breast for the prediction of deformation during imaging.

To predict changes in the shape of the breast in different imaging devices, a Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) mechanical model is developed. The CEL method allows for a more adequate representation of the very large deformations experienced by the soft and incompressible tissues of the breast. The mechanical response of the tissues is based on advanced mathematical formulations and experimental data from the literature. Realistic geometries generated from Magnetic Resonance (MR) images are used as study cases. Furthermore, specific boundary conditions are applied to the model to predict the shape of the breast and the location of the internal tissues in a prototype microwave breast imaging system, where an immersion medium is used. The accuracy of the model was assessed by comparing the numerical results with a laser scan of the same subject in the microwave breast imaging system.

Supervisory control of multiworkcell manufacturing systems with shared resources.

Flexible-manufacturing systems (FMSs) may comprise a number of workcells where production resources are shared among the workcells for a variety of practical reasons. Although the utilization of independent workcells with sharing resources improves the flexibility of FMSs, avoiding deadlocks is essential for their successful implementation. This paper introduces a novel methodology for the synthesis of a set of conflict- and deadlock-free supervisors to individually control every workcell within a FMS inter-related by common (shared) resources. The proposed methodology is based on Extended Moore Automata (EMA) and Controlled-Automata theories. A new algorithmic procedure to analyze the concurrent operation of supervisors is also introduced in order to check for the existence or absence of deadlock states.