Abstract: Disclosed herein is an MR brake assembly comprising a driven member comprising a rotor defining an outward face, a brake housing defining a chamber for accommodating the rotor therein, the brake housing defining an inward face, and a quantity of MR fluid disposed in the chamber. The MR brake assembly further comprises annular structures with each thereof having a medial diameter that differs from the medial diameter of another one of the plurality of annular structures, each of the rotor and the brake housing having at least one of the plurality of annular structures one of formed therewith and coupled thereto adjacent the corresponding one of the inward face and the outward face. A magnetic field generation assembly configured to selectively apply a magnetic field to the quantity of MR fluid for controlling engagement of the rotor with the brake housing to brake the driven member.

Abstract: Meta-heuristic algorithms are simpler and easier than gradient-based ones. Meta-heuristic algorithms strongly demonstrate their robustness in terms of problem solving and decision making. However, it is not easy to make the abovementioned techniques reach their best performance. Described herein is an optimization method for determining an objective solution represented by location of a global optimal solution point and searchable by solution candidates. The method comprises initialising a first of the solution candidates with a trial value with each of the solution candidates having an ordinal rank. The method further comprises updating the position of each candidates using the position of the solution candidate having a rank that is higher thereto, determining value of objective function for each solution candidates, and assigning a new ordinal rank each of the solution candidate based on value of their objective function generated therefrom.