Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bio-inspired information extraction in 3-D environments using wide-field integration of optic flow

Title of dissertation: BIO-INSPIRED INFORMATION EXTRACTION IN 3-D ENVIRONMENTS USING WIDE-FIELD INTEGRATION OF OPTIC FLOW Andrew Maxwell Hyslop, Doctor of Philosophy, 2010 Dissertation directed by: Assistant Professor J. Sean Humbert Department of Aerospace Engineering A control theoretic framework is introduced to analyze an information extraction approach from patterns of optic flow based on analogues to wide-field motionsensitive interneurons in the insect visuomotor system. An algebraic model of optic flow is developed, based on a parameterization of simple 3-D environments. It is shown that estimates of proximity and speed, relative to these environments, can be extracted using weighted summations of the instantaneous patterns of optic flow. Small perturbation techniques are utilized to link weighting patterns to outputs, which are applied as feedback to facilitate stability augmentation and perform local obstacle avoidance and terrain following. Weighting patterns that provide direct linear mappings between the sensor array and actuator commands can be derived by casting the problem as a combined static state estimation and linear feedback control problem. Additive noise and environment uncertainties are incorporated into an offline procedure for determination of optimal weighting patterns. Several applications of the method are provided, with differing spatial measurement domains. Non-linear stability analysis and experimental demonstration is presented for a wheeled robot measuring optic flow in a planar ring. Local stability analysis and simulation is used to show robustness over a range of urban-like environments for a fixed-wing UAV measuring in orthogonal rings and a micro helicopter measuring over the full spherical viewing arena. Finally, the framework is used to analyze insect tangential cells with respect to the information they encode and to demonstrate how cell outputs can be appropriately amplified and combined to generate motor commands to achieve reflexive navigation behavior. BIO-INSPIRED INFORMATION EXTRACTION IN 3-D ENVIRONMENTS USING WIDE-FIELD INTEGRATION OF OPTIC FLOW by Andrew Maxwell Hyslop Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2010 Advisory Committee: Assistant Professor J. Sean Humbert, Chair/Advisor Professor Rama Chellappa Associate Professor Robert M. Sanner Associate Professor David Akin Professor Inderjit Chopra c © Copyright by Andrew Maxwell Hyslop 2010
EFFECTS OF THE 65-MPH SPEED LIMIT ON TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN OHIO

The effects of the 65-mph speed limit on traffic accidents on rural Interstate highways posted at 65 or 55 mph and rural non-Interstate highways posted at 55 mph in Ohio were examined by analyzing the accident data for 36 months before the implementation of the speed change law and an equal number of months after the implementation. The changes in accident rates, that is, the average number of accidents per month, were examined relative to weather conditions and seasons as well as day of week, time of day, light conditions, and vehicle mix. It was found that fatal accident rates on rural Interstate highways posted at 65 mph or rural non-Interstate highways posted at 55 mph had not significantly changed after the implementation of the 65-mph speed limit. Fatal accdient rates on rural Interstate highways posted at 55 mph showed an increase in the "after" period. However, when the data were categorized according to weather conditions, no significant change in fatal accident rates was found. There have been some increases in injury and property damage only (PDO) accident rates on rural Interstate highways posted at 65 mph. The injury and PDO accident rates on rural Interstate highways posted at 55 mph have decreased and shown no indication of adverse "spillover" effect. Injury and PDO accidents as well as the severity of accidents have decreased on the non-Interstate highways posted at 55 mph, perhaps indicating positive effects of the seat belt law, speed enforcement, and geometric and operational improvements in recent years.
Co-Development of Products and Manufacturing Systems Using Integrated Platform Models

Product first, manufacturing system second. While manufacturing companies in fact make their profits by selling products, the successful development and proper functioning of both the product and the manufacturing system need to be ensured. This consideration poses a challenge that must be met in a joint effort because the product and the manufacturing system are two technical systems that mutually affect each other. They do so not only inside the factory building, but also on the drawing board, before their final design is determined. With an emphasis on the mutual effect between the manufacturing system and the product, this thesis addresses the co-development of the two technical systems. It follows the idea of conducting development based on a strategy for managing change and variety, called platform. Rather than just regarding the reuse of physical parts, the thesis considers a platform approach that involves the definition of generic resources, such as systems, interfaces, and functions. The approach allows for the description of products and manufacturing systems with information about how they may change to produce variety and enable flexibility. Based on several industrial studies, the thesis explores how platforms can be devised for products, manufacturing systems, or both. It elaborates on how technical systems can be described for defining such platforms. Specifically, it proposes an integrated model that combines function-means trees, component structures, manufacturing operations, and their interactions. The model allows defining platforms that can be expanded over time and used continually to derive product and manufacturing system variants. Thus, it helps manage change and variety in products and manufacturing systems.
COUNTERMEASURES FOR WRONG-WAY MOVEMENT ON FREEWAYS: OVERVIEW OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND FINDINGS

Drivers who make wrong-way entries onto freeways pose a serious risk to the safety of other motorists and themselves. Wrong-way driving often leads to head-on collisions. Wrong-way crashes are relatively infrequent but are more likely to produce serious injuries and fatalities compared to other types of crashes. Driving the wrong way on freeways has been a nagging traffic safety problem since the interstate highway system was started in the 1950s. Despite over forty years of highway design, marking, and signing improvements at freeway interchanges, the problem still persists. Several crashes in the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Fort Worth District have brought attention to the hazard of wrong-way drivers. A search of newspaper articles revealed that the problem of wrong-way driving is not unique to Fort Worth and occurs throughout Texas. Members of the Fort Worth Traffic Management Team identified locations with a history of wrong-way entries and assessed potential countermeasures. During this review process it was determined that research was needed to understand and develop effective countermeasures for wrong-way movements onto freeways and other restricted roads. This research provides TxDOT staff with preventative measures for reducing the frequency and severity of wrong-way entries onto freeway facilities throughout Texas. Researchers performed the following tasks during the project: established state-of-the-practice on safety, design, and operational issues for wrong-way movement on freeways; surveyed state DOTs to get information on typical wrong-way signing and marking and any innovative practices; quantified the frequency, severity, and other important characteristics of wrong-way crashes in Texas based on a review of crash reports and coordination with 911 public safety answering points; identified available countermeasures to reduce wrong-way movements and crashes; evaluated the feasibility and applicability of the available countermeasures to address Texas problems; documented typical situations that were more likely to produce wrong-way entry issues; developed guidelines/recommended practices for application of wrong-way countermeasures and treatments; and developed a checklist for field crews to use for reviewing wrong-way entry issues or suspected problem locations.
Design of a reliability methodology : modelling the influence of temperature on gate oxide reliability

An Integrated Reliability Methodology (IRM) is presented that encompasses the changes that technology growth has brought with it and includes several new device degradation models. Each model is based on a physics of failure approach and includes on the effects of temperature. At all stages the models are verified experimentally on modern deep sub-micron devices. The research provides the foundations of a tool which gives the user the opportunity to make appropriate trade-offs between performance and reliability, and that can be implemented in the early stages of product development.
Innovations in contemporary popular music and digital media, and reconstructions of the music industry in the 21st century

The thesis investigates how certain types of contemporary popular music have played a prominent role in digital media, aided by ICTs (Internet, digital music distribution, consumption), music technology (sampling, remix, MP3) and creative artistic technology (music video, performance, virtual groups). As these technologies lie behind many innovations in popular music over the last decade, the focus, here, is on specific artists and producers who have successfully employed such technologies to compose music, and whose reception has been mixed in terms of the reaction from the industry and consumers. The dissertation, therefore, contains case studies of Danger Mouse, Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz. The following all gained recognition from new media rather than the traditional radio plug: The Grey Album, the experimental and illegal mash-up of the Beatles and Jay-Z by Danger Mouse; 'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley, which gained interest following a television advertisement; and Gorillaz, a virtual group, created by Damon Albarn of Blur. These projects were composed of a fusion of musical styles and visuals, and were made possible by digital technology. To understand the logic behind these projects, it is important to explore the contributions that assisted the success of the musicians in question. The cultural-social context of the music is analysed and theorized: the music and the performer (involving postmodern features such as authorship and genre-blending); its impact on the music industry (copyright, digital consumption); and the reception of the audience (digital music consumption, distribution technologies, activism). This thesis argues that the internal and external aspects of the compositions and arrangements by Danger Mouse, Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz constitute innovative examples of contemporary popular music facilitated by digital media, and that this helped to reconstruct the music industry in the twenty-first century.
A voucher scheme for insectide treated nets in Ghana : development of a methodology for delivery systems evaluation

The key to effective scaling-up of coverage with insecticide treated nets is multiple effective delivery systems that are complementary, each one adding incrementally to the overall coverage. Generally, individual systems have been studied. A methodology is needed for studying the effectiveness of individual delivery systems, mixes of delivery systems and their relative contribution to coverage within a defined delivery system context. The insecticide treated net voucher scheme in two regions of Ghana provided an opportunity to develop a method of delivery systems evaluation. The thesis consists of eight chapters. Chapter one is the introduction, and chapter two a review of the literature on the delivery of ITNs. Chapter three presents the study justification, aim, objectives, conceptual framework, a description of the study setting and the methods used in the study. The thesis has four results chapters. In the first of these the quantitative coverage outcome evaluation of the voucher scheme is presented. Delivery attribution is used to evaluate the success of the voucher scheme. In the second results chapter, the intermediate processes in the delivery system are defined and the effectiveness of each one is assessed overall and by geographic area and socio-economic groups. In the third results chapter, qualitative methods are used to interpret the quantitative findings and to describe and explain the impact of the delivery systems context on the effectiveness of the intermediate processes of the voucher scheme. In the fourth of the results chapters' recommendations on a methodology of delivery system evaluation for ITNs and other public health interventions are made. The final chapter is a discussion of the findings of the study in the two regions of Ghana and their implications for the evaluation of delivery systems for ITNs and other public health interventions particularly in relation to malaria control.
The enterprising artist and the arts entrepreneur : Emergent pedagogies for new disciplinary habits of mind

Traditional pedagogies in the arts in higher education focus largely on the studio experience in which a novice artist studies under one or more master teachers (e.g., Don, Garvey, & Sadeghpour, 2009). In more recent times, however, a shift in higher education curriculum and pedagogy in the arts has expanded this traditional conservatory model of training to include, among other components, career self-management and enterprise creation—in a word, entrepreneurship.This chapter examines the developing field of arts enterprise and arts entrepreneurship in higher education in a multinational context. The field is contextualized within the broader landscape of the creative industries and the consequential development of knowledge, skills, and the habits of mind necessary for artistic venture creation, sustainability, and success. Whereas the discourse about learning and teaching for business entrepreneurship is well established (e.g., Fiet, 2001), equivalent conversations about arts enterprise and entrepreneurship have only recently begun (Beckman, 2007, 2011; Essig, 2009). This chapter will address the contested definitions of key terms and concepts and also the question of how arts educators, although mindful of the pedagogic traditions of the arts school, are also drawing on the pedagogies of business entrepreneurship and cognitive theories of entrepreneurship to create innovative new transdisciplinary signature pedagogies for creative enterprise and entrepreneurship education in the arts.
Biologically Inspired Control of a Compliant Anthropomimetic Robot

Anthropomimetics copying nature in order to construct and control similar mechanism in technical world is an increasingly attractive research topic. Its core objective is achieving human efficiency in the aspects of technical world where engineering still cannot compete biology (diversity of motions, manoeuvrability, etc). This paper attempts to develop the appropriate dynamic model and design control for an anthropomimetic humanoid ECCEROBOT. Robot has a human-like mechanical structure skeleton. To mimic muscles, robot joints are driven by antagonistically coupled DC motors with tendons. Since the robot is expected to work in a human centered environment and in the presence of humans, an important accent is given to the safe interaction with the surrounding. To resolve the safety, robot involves passive mechanical compliance elastic springs in tendons. The paper derives the mathematical model of robot dynamics, designed for simulation. The control of antagonistic drives is based on a biologically inspired puller-and follower concept where the puller is responsible for joint motion while the follower keeps the inactive tendon from slackening. The advanced theory of nonlinear control was used for particular joints and the theory of robustness was necessary for applying the control to multi-joint robot body.
The relationship between dietary intakes and plasma concentrations of PUFA in school-age children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort

Abstract An adequate intake of PUFA plays a vital role in human health. Therefore, it is important to assess PUFA intakes in different populations and validate them with biomarkers, but only a few small studies are in paediatric populations. We calculated the dietary intake of PUFA and their main food sources in children and assessed associations between PUFA intakes and plasma proportions. Dietary intakes of 7-year-old children (n 8242) enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children were calculated from the parental-completed FFQ. Plasma PUFA were measured in 5571 children 8 months later, and 4380 children had complete dietary and plasma data. The association between dietary and plasma PUFA proportions was estimated using Spearman’s correlation coefficients, quintile cross-classification and Cohen’s κ coefficients. Mean total PUFA intake was 13·2 g/d (sd 4·2), contributing 6·5 % of total energy intake; n-6 PUFA contributed 5·2 % and n-3 PUFA 0·7 %. The n-6:n-3 ratio was 7·9:1. Mean intakes of EPA and DHA were 35·7 mg/d and 49·7 mg/d, respectively. Most n-3 and n-6 PUFA intakes were weakly correlated with their respective plasma lipids (0·07 ≤ r ≤ 0·16, P < 0·001). The correlation between dietary and plasma DHA was stronger though (r = 0·34, P < 0·001), supported by a modest level of agreement between quintiles (k = 0·32). The results indicate that the FFQ was able to reasonably rank the long-chain (LC) PUFA, DHA, in this paediatric population. Public health initiatives need to address the suboptimal ratio of n-6:n-3 PUFA and very low n-3 LC-PUFA intakes in school-age children in the UK.
White Sands Missile Range 2007 Urban Study: Data Processing - Volume DP-3 (Airflow Qualitative Assessment)

Abstract : Urban toxic chemical releases pose a threat to the military and civilians. The White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) Urban Studies address two critical elements in diagnosing airborne hazard releases, namely, airflow (chemical distribution) and stability (chemical concentration). This document provides a qualitative assessment of seven airflow features targeted by the WSMR 2007 Urban Study (W07US). The W07US stability assessment is published separately. The features identified for verification and characterization include the Fetch Flow, Velocity Acceleration, Velocity Deficit, Cavity Flows, Canyon Flows, Leeside Corner Eddies, and Reattachment Zone. Feature definitions, frequency of occurrences/day, and field study statistics are presented. Case studies enrich the text with excellent examples of inter-feature attributes and the detailed temporal and spatial urban characteristics. Suggestions for future airflow analysis work are interwoven throughout the text. The conclusions and recommendations recap key findings and next step suggestions for the W07US airflow qualitative assessment.
Loads on the Gravity-net-cage from Waves and Currents

Due to limited space close to shore and environmental concerns, the trend has become to move the fish farms to more exposed areas. This motivates the study of loads on the fish farm in more energetic currents and waves. In this thesis the conventional gravity net cage is analysed from an experimental and numerical point of view. The focus is on mooring line loads, which represent the global loads acting on the system. The numerical program FhSim, which is SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture inhouse software, is subject for a comparison study in terms of mooring line loads. Two systems of the gravity net cage are analysed. Experiments conducted by MARINTEK in May 2013 are analysed to investigate the mean load features in large current and waves. The results are compared to mean load predictions from the numerical code FhSim. A comparative study between FhSim and the numerical code developed by Kristiansen and Faltinsen (2014) is also performed. Experimental analysis in irregular waves and currents show that the mean mooring line load is dominated by current. The mean load is found to increase with increased wave height and wave period. These trends are captured by the numerical programs. The mean load in currents and waves is decomposed into a static load which is the current only contribution, and the remaining dynamic force part. Alternative scalings of the mean dynamic force included the squared ratio of wave velocity to current velocity or the wave amplitude squared. From the comparative study, it is found that FhSim predicts the mean loads with a reasonable agreement in a combination of the current velocity U=0.5m/s and the wave steepness 1/30. In a combination of larger currents and steeper waves, FhSim overestimates the mean load for the studied model. This can be explained by the implemented Morison load model and the increased water flow velocity across the net. In the analysis of a complete mooring line system, a prediction error was detected in the numerical program FhSim. Together with the possible overestimation of mean mooring line loads in large currents and waves this must be accounted for when assessing mooring line loads by use of FhSim. In a comparison study, a set of high accuracy data from both numerical predictions and experimental measurements should be ensured. A reduction of systematic errors and detection of precision errors improves the quality of the data. In order to confirm the observed features regarding mean load predictions from FhSim, further investigations with a wider range of experimental test conditions in large currents and waves are required.
Luxury Retail Management: How the World's Top Brands Provide Quality Product and Service Support

Introduction vii Chapter 1 Luxury and Brand Power 1 Chapter 2 The Distribution Models of Luxury 15 Chapter 3 The Different Outlets of Luxury Distribution 37 Chapter 4 The Internet as a Channel of Distribution 63 Chapter 5 Luxury Store Location 83 Chapter 6 Luxury Store Concept and Design 119 Chapter 7 Luxury Store Economics 139 Chapter 8 Luxury Retail Pricing 169 Chapter 9 Customer In-Store Behavior 185 Chapter 10 The Importance of Stores in Customer Relationship Building 195 Chapter 11 Building Loyalty in Luxury Brands 209 Chapter 12 Advertising and Communication 229 Chapter 13 The Future of Luxury Brand Retailing 245 Appendix Managing a Store Toolbox 257 Bibliography 291 About the Authors 295 Index 297
BEARING CAPACITY OF FOOTINGS OVER TWO-LAYER FOUNDATION SOILS. DISCUSSION AND CLOSURE

The discussion of the paper which originally appeared in this journal (V 121, N 5, May 1995), begins with admiration by the discussers for the authors' efforts to analyze the bearing capacity of layered soils and recognition for the significant contribution that paper made. This discussion has a twofold purpose: 1. to compare the results of independent numerical analyses by the discussers and the authors and 2. to use the ideas presented in the original paper as the basis for a discussion of the analytical framework by Hanna and Meyerhoff. Following the discussion, a closure is present by the authors, Radoslaw L. Michalowski and Lei Shi.