A Multi-mode Electronic Load Sensing Control Scheme with Power Limitation and Pressure Cut-off for Mobile Machinery

In mobile machinery, hydro-mechanical pumps are increasingly replaced by electronically controlled pumps to improve the automation level, but diversified control functions(e. g., power limitation and pressure cut-off) are integrated into the electronic controller only from the pump level, leading to the potential instability of the overall system. To solve this problem, a multi-mode electrohydraulic load sensing (MELS) control scheme is proposed especially considering the switching stability from the system level, which includes four working modes of flow control, load sensing, power limitation, and pressure control. Combined with defined control priority, a switching rule including bilateral and unilateral switching for different modes is then established according to the actual requirements of mobile machinery. A comparative study was carried out based on a test rig with a 2-ton hydraulic excavator. The results show that the MELS controller can achieve the control functions of proper flow supplement, power limitation, and pressure control, which has good stability performance when switching between different control modes.

Influence of ambiguity resolution during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes: a dual-task paradigm

In the present preregistered study, we evaluated the impact of linguistic ambiguity processing on non-verbal inhibitory processing in a dual-task paradigm. We assessed whether a shared mechanism is involved during verbal and non-verbal conflict resolution. To do so, we constructed a dual-task paradigm including an auditory language comprehension and a non-verbal Flanker task. The language comprehension stimuli included sentences with French homophones presenting a temporary ambiguity (ambiguous sentences) or not (control sentences). The Flanker task included congruent (low executive control load) and incongruent (high executive control load) trials that were synchronized or not with the homophone in the sentence. We hypothesized that if the homophone meaning selection requires executive control this would interfere with executive control performance of the concomitant Flanker trials. This would be reflected by a performance cost during incongruent Flanker trials for the ambiguous sentences only. Surprisingly, we observed a facilitatory effect during ambiguous sentences on incongruent Flanker trials suggesting better non-verbal inhibitory performances when homophone conflict resolution was simultaneously performed. Exploratory data analysis suggests that this effect is not only related to ambiguity resolution processing but also to the previous (n-1) Flanker trial. Indeed, results showed that incongruent n-1 Flanker trials led to a facilitation of the incongruent target Flanker trials only when ambiguous sentences were conjointly presented. This result, even if it remains to be corroborated in future studies, suggests that the recruitment of executive control mechanisms facilitates subsequent executive control implication during difficult language processing. The present study supports the view of a common executive control mechanism during conflict resolution in verbal and non-verbal tasks.

How Does Ritualized Behavior Lower Anxiety? The Role of Cognitive Load and Conscious Preoccupation in Anxiety Reduction

Although rituals are believed to lower anxiety, the underlying mechanism of anxiety reduction has not been explained well enough. According to Boyer and Liénard (2006), ritualized behavior decreases the anxiety levels because it swamps working memory. This blocks anxious thoughts’ access to consciousness. As a result, ritualized behavior lowers anxiety temporarily but maintains it in the long run. In the article, I analyze what processes should be engaged in ritualized behavior to bring the aforementioned outcomes. I propose that ritualized behavior has anxiolytic properties if it preoccupies consciousness without placing too many demands on cognitive control. While conscious preoccupation with ritualized behavior should reduce anxiety, cognitive control load related to efforts to concentrate on ritualized behavior may bring immediate paradoxical effects of self-regulation, i.e., anxiety increases. Moreover, since anxiety disrupts attentional control capabilities, ritualized behavior should not be too cognitively demanding if an anxious person is to perform it.