Variable length multisection continuum arms are a class of continuum robotic manipulators that generate motion by structural mechanical deformation. Unlike most continuum robots, the sections of these arms do not have (central) supporting flexible backbone, and are actuated by multiple variable length actuators. Because of the constraining nature of actuators, the continuum sections can bend an...

In this paper we study a class of optimal dividend and investment problems assuming that the underlying reserve process follows the Sparre Andersen model, that is, the claim frequency is a “renewal” process, rather than a standard compound Poisson process. The main feature of such problems is that the underlying reserve dynamics, even in its simplest form, is no longer Markovian. By using the b...

We consider an optimal consumption, leisure, investment, and voluntary retirement problem for an agent with a Cobb–Douglas utility function. Using dynamic programming, we derive closed form solutions for the value function and optimal strategies for consumption, leisure, investment, and retirement.

We consider the single-leg airline revenue management problem in continuous time with Poisson arrivals. Earlier work on this problem generally uses the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation to find an optimal policy whenever the value function is differentiable and is a solution to this equation. In this paper, we employ a different probabilistic approach, which do not rely on the smoothness of the ...

An ideal polymer chain anchored to a planar surface is considered by using both lattice and continuum model approaches. A general equation relating the lattice and continuum model adsorption interaction parameters is derived in a consistent way by substituting the exact continuum solution for the free chain end distribution function into the lattice model boundary condition. This equation is no...

The Boltzmann transport equation is often used for non-continuum transport when the mean free path of phonons is of the order of device sizes. One particular application involves heat generation in electronic devices. In a highly scaled MOSFET, for example, the majority of the heat is produced in a localized region immediately below the gate on the drain side. The size of this generation region...

The effect of distributed bubble nuclei sizes on shock propagation in a bubbly liquid is numerically investigated. An ensemble-averaged technique is employed to derive the statistically averaged conservation laws for polydisperse bubbly flows. A finite-volume method is developed to solve the continuum bubbly flow equations coupled to a single-bubble-dynamic equation that incorporates the effect...

In this paper the Analog Equation Method (AEM) a boundaryonly method is presented for solving nonlinear static and dynamic problems in continuum mechanics. General bodies are considered, that is bodies whose properties may be position or direction dependent and their response is nonlinear. The nonlinearity may result from both nonlinear constitutive relations (material nonlinearity) and large d...