Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Study on Low-Drift State Estimation for Humanoid Locomotion, Using LiDAR and Kinematic-Inertial Data Fusion

Several humanoid robots will require to navigate in unsafe and unstructured environments, such as those after a disaster, for human assistance and support. To achieve this, humanoids require to construct in real-time, accurate maps of the environment and localize in it by estimating their base/pelvis state without any drift, using computationally efficient mapping and state estimation algorithms. While a multitude of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms exist, their localization relies on the existence of repeatable landmarks, which might not always be available in unstructured environments. Several studies also use stop-and-map procedures to map the environment before traversal, but this is not ideal for scenarios where the robot needs to be continuously moving to keep for instance the task completion time short. In this paper, we present a novel combination of the state-of-the-art odometry and mapping based on LiDAR data and state estimation based on the kinematics-inertial data of the humanoid. We present experimental evaluation of the introduced state estimation on the full-size humanoid robot WALK-MAN while performing locomotion tasks. Through this combination, we prove that it is possible to obtain low-error, high frequency estimates of the state of the robot, while moving and mapping the environment on the go.
WordNet based comparison of language variation: A study based on CCD and CWN

This paper will deal with the lexica of comparing the Chinese Concept Dictionary (CCD) with the Chinese WordNet (CWN) by WordNet. CCD is a WordNet-like semantic lexicon that developed by the Institute of Computational Linguistics, Peking University. And CWN is a bilingual wordnet by linking to the SUMO ontology that developed by Academia Sinica Bilingual Ontological WordNet. In this paper, we will base on WordNet database to show several situations for both CCD and CWN, such as: the same translation for them, zero translation only for CCD or CWN, and unique translation only for CCD or CWN. Then, through these analyses, we could find out the unique usage of English translating for traditional Chinese Characters or simplified Chinese characters.
Robustness Analysis of Integrated LPV-FDI Filters and LTI-FTC System for a Transport Aircraft

This paper proposes an analysis framework for robustness analysis of a nonlinear dynamics system that can be represented by a polynomial linear parameter varying (PLPV) system with constant bounded uncertainty. The proposed analysis framework contains three key tools: 1) a function substitution method which can convert a nonlinear system in polynomial form into a PLPV system, 2) a matrix-based linear fractional transformation (LFT) modeling approach, which can convert a PLPV system into an LFT system with the delta block that includes key uncertainty and scheduling parameters, 3) µ-analysis, which is a well known robust analysis tool for linear systems. The proposed analysis framework is applied to evaluating the performance of the LPV-fault detection and isolation (FDI) filters of the closedloop system of a transport aircraft in the presence of unmodeled actuator dynamics and sensor gain uncertainty. The robustness analysis results are compared with nonlinear time simulations. Nomenclature
DELEGATION MODELS: A REVIEW TESIS PARA OPTAR AL GRADO DE MAGISTER EN ECONOMIA APLICADA MEMORIA PARA OPTAR AL TITULO DE INGENIERO CIVIL INDUSTRIAL

In this dissertation, I review the literature in decision making with asymmetric information and no monetary transfers. An uninformed decision maker, or principal, is uncertain about the effects of the decision she will make. A better informed, but biased, player, the agent, can send messages to the principal in order to influence her decision. Depending on the type of commitment the principal is able to make, the transmission of information from the agent to the principal and the outcome of the game will vary. I study four different types of game. In the first type, called communication game, the principal is not able to make any sort of commitment, and will alwys take the decision that is better for her given the message received. In this setting, the principal retains control, but the information transmission is the noisiest and the outcome the least efficient. In the second type, or full delegation, the principal can delegate the decision rights to the agent, whi will then take his preferred decision. In this game, the decision taken is efficient and all the available information is used, but it will cost the principal for certain. In the third type, the principal delegates, but the decision taken by the agent can be overruled and a status quo policy chosen. This setting allows the principal to retain come control, but noise will be introduced by the possibility of a veto. In the fourth type, the principal can fully commit to a rule from report by the agents to decisions. This is equivalent to let the agent make the decision but to restrict the set of available decision ex-ante, by setting an upper bound. This four cases are analyzed under a tractable and simple model. If the principal is able to commit to the fourth type, it will always be optimal to do so. If not, the preferences over the other three types depends on the status quo policy and on the size of the conflict of interest. Keeping veto right is useful only if the status quo is aligned with the agent’s preferences. The principal will prefer mechanisms with higher levels of commitment, and will delegate more to a less biased agent. Additionally, the case where the principal keeps veto rights but can restrict the set of proposals. The set of decisions that the agent is allowed to propose os more limited than if the principal had no veto right. This type of mechanism always yields higher expected payoff than pure communication and is preferred to full delegation if the status quo policy is sufficently aligned with the agent’s interests.
Helical time representation to visualize return-periods of spatio-temporal events

Numerous methods have been developed to integrate temporal dimension in geovisualization environments. However, the return-period of cyclic spatio-temporal events is still difficult to visualize in most time visualization tools used in geovisualization, like timelines or timewheels. However, some temporal diagrams, which combine linear and cyclic aspects of time, allow the visualization of the return-period of these events. These diagrams represent time by a chronological succession of instances of a considered period. If this period and the events return-period are equal, the return-period can be highlighted. Among these diagrams the time coil diagram proposed by Edsall and Peuquet represents time with a helix. These diagrams are interactive and the represented period value can be modified to visualize the return-period of different cyclic events. However, the values set to the period represented by the diagram are generally limited to usual periodic scales like hours, days, weeks, or months. In this paper we propose a new geovisualization tool, based on the time coil diagram that allows user to dynamically set any value of the represented period in the helical diagram. This new visualization tool enables both to explore data and to find possible new cyclic events types as well as illustrating the return-period of any cyclic event type.
Reimplantation: Clinical Implications and Outcome of Dry Storage of Avulsed Teeth

Reimplantation refers to the insertion and temporary fixation of completely or partially avulsed teeth that have resulted from traumatic injury. Reimplantation of an avulsed tooth depends on certain clinical conditions like physiological status of periodontal ligament (PDL), the stage of root development and the length of extra oral time. Depending on the patient’s age, retention of the permanent incisor can maintain the aesthetic appearance, occlusal function and alveolar ridge height. Though the risk of progressive replacement resorption and subsequent tooth loss is high after a long dry storage, reimplantation makes a provision for an aesthetically acceptable permanent prosthesis at a later age. This article presents management of two cases with avulsed permanent incisors that were stored in dry conditions for seven hours and three days respectively.
Observational and modelling investigations of land-precipitation coupling

The land surface is an important component of the climate system. Via interactions with the atmosphere, it impacts temperature and precipitation. In particular, soil moisture influences the partitioning of the energy at the land surface into the sensible (H) and latent (λE) heat fluxes, mainly in transitional regions between wet and dry climates. This partioning can be expressed by the Evaporative Fraction (EF), the ratio of λE to the available energy. EF directly impacts temperature via H (soil moisture-temperature coupling). The coupling between the land surface and precipitation works through several physical mechanisms. These include “direct” moisture recycling, that is via the input of water to the atmosphere through λE, and “indirect” impacts of both H and λE on the boundary layer growth and stability (local temporal coupling), as well as mesoscale circulations induced by spatial soil moisture gradients (spatial coupling). The aims of this thesis are the following: First, I investigate the role of soil textures for land-atmosphere interactions over Europe in a regional climate model (RCM). Soil texture can control soil moisture, its relation to EF and thereby climate. Second, I statistically investigate the land-precipitation coupling in different observation-based datasets. This is first done over North America, where the local temporal coupling and its sources are explored, and then in global analyses of temporal and spatial soil moisture-precipitation couplings. In the first part of this thesis, regional climate simulations over Europe with two different maps of soil texture are compared. Soil textures typically define a number of thermal and hydraulic soil properties in a land surface model. Impacts of the choice in soil map on the simulated mean summer climate are large in some regions: up to 2◦C in 2-meter temperature and 20% in precipitation. This effect is comparable to differences between simulations from different RCMs and it highlights the importance of soil properties for climate simulations. Furthermore, I identify the most important soil parameters for these effects (field capacity, plant wilting point, hydraulic diffusivity) and show the importance of the vertical profile of soil moisture in these simulations.
Chemistry-Climate Connections – Interaction of Physical, Dynamical, and Chemical Processes in Earth Atmosphere

The climate system of the Earth atmosphere is affected by a complex interplay of dynamical, physical and chemical processes acting in the troposphere (atmospheric layer reaching from the Earth surface up to about 12 km height) and the Middle Atmosphere, i.e. the stratosphere (from about 12 to 50 km) and the mesosphere (from 50 to 100 km). Moreover, mutual influences between these atmospheric layers must be taken into account to get a complete picture of the Earth climate system. An outstanding example which can be used to describe some of the complex connections of atmospheric processes is the evolution of the ozone layer in the stratosphere and its interrelation with climate change. The stratospheric ozone layer (located around 15 to 35 km) protects life on Earth because it filters out a large part of the ultraviolet (UV) radiation (wavelength range between 100 nm and 380 nm) which is emitted by the sun. The almost complete absorption of the energyintensive solar UV-B radiation (280-320 nm) is especially important. UV-B radiation particularly affects plants, animals and people. Increased UV-B radiation can, for example, adversely impact photosynthesis, cause skin cancer and weaken the immune system. In addition, absorption of solar UV radiation by the stratospheric ozone layer causes the temperature of the stratosphere to increase with height, creating a stable layer that limits strong vertical air movement. This plays a key role for the Earth’s climate system. Approximately 90% of the total ozone amount is found in the stratosphere. Only 10% is in the troposphere; ozone concentrations in the troposphere are much lower than in the stratosphere. Data derived from observations (measurements from satellites and ground-based instruments) and respective results from numerical simulations with atmospheric models are used to describe and explain recent alterations of the dynamics and chemistry of the atmosphere. Since the beginning of the 1980ies in each year the ozone hole develops over Antarctica during spring season (i.e. September to November), showing a decrease in the total amount of ozone of up to 70% (see Figure 4). Especially in the lower stratosphere (about 15-25 km altitude), ozone is almost completely destroyed during this season. Relatively shortly after the discovery of the ozone hole, the extreme thinning of the ozone layer in the south-polar
Coarse woody debris in the southeastern Canadian boreal forest: composition and load variations in relation to stand replacement.

Quantities and structural characteristics of coarse woody debris (CWD) (logs and snags) were examined in relation to stand age and composition in the Canadian mixedwood boreal forest. Forty-eight stands originating after fire (from 32 to 236 years) were sampled on mesic clay deposits. The point-centered quadrant method was used to record canopy composition and structure (living trees and snags). The line-intersect method was used to sample logs of all diameters. Total log load, mean snag density, and volume per stand were similar to other boreal stands. Linear and nonlinear regressions showed that time since fire and canopy composition were significant descriptors for log load changes, whereas time since fire was the only significant factor for snag changes. Coarse woody debris accumulation models through time since fire were different from the U-shaped model because the first initial decrease from residual pre-disturbance debris was missing, the involved species had rapid decay rates with no long-term ac.
Harmful threshold of ICT distraction on the learning process

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are nowadays widely used during academic or occupational trainings from an official standpoint (integrated in pedagogical programs) as well as from an informal standpoint (non class-related use by students, trainers or learners). Regarding this latter point, the research question was to know how often students may authorized themselves to deal with non-class related secondary tasks during a lecture without reducing the learning process performance? Experiments were thus undertaken with N= 66 UK students (MSc.) listening to a 13 minutes video lecture in individual cublicles and then answering questionnaires for knowledge, fidelity and MSLQ (motivation) assessment. Whilst viewing the lecture, students were distracted by sms received on their personal mobile phone. These sms were with neutral emotional valence. The cohort was divided into 5 groups, each related to a distraction frequency f=0, 10, 15, 20, 30 occ/h. We identified a threshold fcrit between 10 and 15occ/h under which learning performance was not lowered compared to the control group and beyond which a significant decrease was observe (15%). These findings are discussed in the light of the Information Processing theory and on the basis of a modified cognitive model based on Mayer and Moreno’s work. Concluding advices for learners and teachers are provided. Limits are discussed and further experiments are suggested.
Prices in Motion: Schumpeter's Contribution to Price Theory

Schumpeter distinguishes between the circular flow of economic activity and economic development. The former is characterised by equilibrium, while the latter involves discontinuous change that induces business cycles. Schumpeter argues that with development prices are generally in motion. Schumpeter’s theory of the business cycle has been heavily criticised. Specific criticisms relating to his price theory include its characterisation of prices stabilising near the Walrasian competitive equilibrium for a stationary economy and its prediction of a downward trend in prices over the longest cycles. This paper reviews Schumpeter’s theory and the critiques before suggesting a way forward to a revised theory of prices in motion.
BEP & MAPPING PROCESS FOR THE RESTORATION BUILDING SITE

Abstract. The BEP, acronym for BIM Execution Plan, consists of the information management plan created by the design team to illustrate how to meet the requirements defined in the Employer's Information Requirement (EIR). The big amount of data will have to be organized a priori both for the professionals who will use that piece of information and for the stakeholders who will have to receive only the right information and use specific worksets. Just at this stage, the heart of the BIM method, there are different advantages compared to the traditional process, in which these informational steps were omitted, causing errors, delays and therefore an increase in active and passive costs. This paper explores the methodology applied to the mapping process of the management of a recovery site. For a better understanding of the result achieved, the stages of the process have been explained, from the acquisition of data, through the scan to BIM process up to the construction phases. In addition, the phases (Identify BIM goal and uses, Design BIM Project Execution Process, Develop information exchange) and the steps (Investigation, Identification and Strategy) necessary to achieve the objective have been analyzed. This is the Lean construction and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), methodologies and systems that allow the improvement of the building process thanks to data sharing and communication between stakeholders before work begins so as to eliminate any possible delay.
Quantum field theory of particle oscillations: Neutron-antineutron conversion

We formulate the quantum field theory description of neutron-antineutron oscillations in the framework of canonical quantization, in analogy with the Bardeen--Cooper--Schrieffer (BCS) theory and the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model. The physical vacuum of the theory is a condensate of pairs of {\it would-be neutrons and antineutrons} in the absence of the baryon-number violating interaction. The quantization procedure defines uniquely the mixing of massive Bogoliubov quasiparticle states which represent the neutron. In spite of not being mass eigenstates, neutron and antineutron states are defined on the physical vacuum and the oscillation formulated in asymptotic states. The exchange of baryonic number with the vacuum condensate engenders what may be observed as neutron-antineutron oscillation. The convergence between the present canonical approach and the Lagrangian/path integral approach to neutron oscillations is shown by the calculation of the anomalous (baryon-number violating) propagators. The quantization procedure proposed here can be extended to neutrino oscillations and, in general, to any particle oscillations.
Habermas, Modernity and Postmodernism; A Philosophical Inquiry

The modern/postmodern debate is usually presented as one of universality vs. relativism, rationalism vs. irrationalism and emancipation vs. deconstruction. This article tries to critically expose and critique Habermas’s discussion of postmodernism as a way of highlighting some of the limitations of this lively discussion. This is to be accomplished through a conceptual analysis of Habermas’s defense of modernity against the postmodernism of Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault as elaborated in Habermas’s work The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity. Through such an analysis, I will argue for the following points. (1) Habermas’s discourse of modernity provides better accounts of responsibility and emancipation compared to the postmodernism of Derrida and Foucault. (2) Still, Habermas’s discourse of modernity fails to fully address asymmetrical power relations and (3) Habermas’s modernity is Eurocentric in failing to fully deconstruct the Eurocentric tendencies of the philosophical tradition of which it’s a part.
Influence of organic liquids on the nanostructure of precipitated cellulose

Organic liquids have been used in pretreatments to improve the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass, ultimately reducing the amount of enzyme required to digest the material to its constituent sugars. To understand the influence of these solvents on cellulose nanostructure, phosphoric acid was used to solubilize cellulose (PAS cellulose) followed by washing of the PAS cellulose with organic liquids previously demonstrated to aid pretreatment. PAS cellulose washed using methanol, ethanol, and ethyl- ene glycol had gel-like properties with disrupted nanostructures. PAS cellulose washed with acetone, 2-propanol, and water yielded an opaque white precipitate. Small-angle neutron scattering indicated the formation of loosely bundled rods of cellulose in the gel-like material. Fourier transform infrared resonance of solvent-washed, flash-dried PAS cellulose suggested an increase in interchain hydro- gen bonds in the gel-like precipitates relative to the more obvious precipitates formed in other solvents. The optimal wash liquid was determined to be 40% by volume ethanol in water to induce a highly digestible, gel-like material. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 000: 000-000, 2012
Daughters and Absent Fathers: Triumph, Loss and Pain

Against a backdrop of a perceived privileging of the father-son relationship in the psychoanalytic literature, and an ongoing discourse in South Africa around absent fathers, this article broaches the daughterabsent father relationship. An analysis of empirical data relating to young black women’s subjective experiences of growing up without a father highlights ambivalence and complexity arising from this experience. Potential clinical implications for such cases are noted.
Perceived Challenges of Using Maternal Healthcare Services in Nigeria

Motherhood is a thing cherished by most women; yet this valued and precious part of life is among the most hazardous experiences that women often engage in without being aware of the risk or danger they are in. Health Belief Model was used in this study to explain how perceived barriers affect the use of maternal health care services by expectant mothers. The data for this study came from 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Three-quarters of women reported they have at least one problem in accessing health care. Fifty-six percent of women said that getting money for treatment was a serious problem in accessing health care. The study concludes that money for treatment is the major barrier that hinders women from accessing maternal health care services. However transportation and distance to hospitals poses great challenge to accessing maternal health care services in rural areas of Nigeria.