Cooperative Control of Multiple Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-03

I I Final Report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Cooperative Control of Multiple Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles F49620-01-1-0337 6. AUTHOR(S... Autonomous Vehicles Final Report Kendall E. Nygard Department of Computer Science and Operations Research North Dakota State University Fargo, ND 58105-5164

An exploratory thermographic investigation of the effects of connective tissue massage on autonomic function.

PubMed

Holey, Liz A; Dixon, John; Selfe, James

2011-09-01

The purpose of this study was to measure effects of connective tissue massage (CTM) on the autonomic nervous system using thermography and physiological measurements. A repeated-measures design was used. The setting was a university laboratory. Skin temperature at the site of massage, blood pressure, heart rate, and dorsal foot temperature were measured in 8 healthy participants before CTM, immediately after, and at 15-minute intervals for 1 hour. The effect of CTM on skin temperature was statistically significant, P = .011. Post hoc pairwise comparisons revealed that the 15-, 30-, 45-, and 60-minute data all differed significantly from the pre-CTM data (all P < .05) and also from the immediately post-CTM data (all P < .05). For diastolic blood pressure, the main analysis of variance showed a statistical significance at P = .062. For other variables, there was no evidence for an effect. Evidence was seen of some effects of CTM on autonomic function. This is information that will increase our knowledge of how CTM affects the autonomic nervous system. Copyright © 2011 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Autonomous Vehicle Systems Laboratory Research Capability Expansion Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-03

currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. University of the Incarnate Word 4301 Broadway, Box #T-2 San Antonio...autonomous control , collaboration, and decision-making in unstructured, dynamic, and uncertain nonlinear environments for autonomous ground and air...vehicle systems. To fulfill the research goal, the PI has initiated fundamental research in the areas of autonomous rotorcraft control and

The resident-as-teacher educational challenge: a needs assessment survey at the National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine.

PubMed

Sánchez-Mendiola, Melchor; Graue-Wiechers, Enrique L; Ruiz-Pérez, Leobardo C; García-Durán, Rocío; Durante-Montiel, Irene

2010-02-16

The role of residents as educators is increasingly recognized, since it impacts residents, interns, medical students and other healthcare professionals. A widespread implementation of resident-as-teacher courses in developed countries' medical schools has occurred, with variable results. There is a dearth of information about this theme in developing countries. The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Faculty of Medicine has more than 50% of the residency programs' physician population in Mexico. This report describes a needs assessment survey for a resident as teacher program at our institution. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was developed based on a review of the available literature and discussion by an expert multidisciplinary committee. The goal was to identify the residents' attitudes, academic needs and preferred educational strategies regarding resident-as-teacher activities throughout the residency. The survey was piloted and modified accordingly. The paper anonymous survey was sent to 7,685 residents, the total population of medical residents in UNAM programs in the country. There was a 65.7% return rate (5,186 questionnaires), a broad and representative sample of the student population. The residents felt they had knowledge and were competent in medical education, but the majority felt a need to improve their knowledge and skills in this discipline. Most residents (92.5%) felt that their role as educators of medical students, interns and other residents was important/very important. They estimated that 45.5% of their learning came from other residents. Ninety percent stated that it was necessary to be trained in teaching skills. The themes identified to include in the educational intervention were mostly clinically oriented. The educational strategies in order of preference were interactive lectures with a professor, small groups with a moderator, material available in a website for self-learning, printed material for self-study and

The resident-as-teacher educational challenge: a needs assessment survey at the National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The role of residents as educators is increasingly recognized, since it impacts residents, interns, medical students and other healthcare professionals. A widespread implementation of resident-as-teacher courses in developed countries' medical schools has occurred, with variable results. There is a dearth of information about this theme in developing countries. The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Faculty of Medicine has more than 50% of the residency programs' physician population in Mexico. This report describes a needs assessment survey for a resident as teacher program at our institution. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive survey was developed based on a review of the available literature and discussion by an expert multidisciplinary committee. The goal was to identify the residents' attitudes, academic needs and preferred educational strategies regarding resident-as-teacher activities throughout the residency. The survey was piloted and modified accordingly. The paper anonymous survey was sent to 7,685 residents, the total population of medical residents in UNAM programs in the country. Results There was a 65.7% return rate (5,186 questionnaires), a broad and representative sample of the student population. The residents felt they had knowledge and were competent in medical education, but the majority felt a need to improve their knowledge and skills in this discipline. Most residents (92.5%) felt that their role as educators of medical students, interns and other residents was important/very important. They estimated that 45.5% of their learning came from other residents. Ninety percent stated that it was necessary to be trained in teaching skills. The themes identified to include in the educational intervention were mostly clinically oriented. The educational strategies in order of preference were interactive lectures with a professor, small groups with a moderator, material available in a website for self-learning, printed

Multiple Autonomous Vehicles for Minefield Reconnaissance and Mapping

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-12-01

NPS-ME-97-008 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California ItC A D- 19980421 131 =C QUALTY Ui Ji.CTEJ) THESIS MULTIPLE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES FOR...MULTIPLE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES FOR MINEFIELD 5. FUNDING NUMBERS RECONNAISSANCE AND MAPPING N0001497WX30039 6. AUTHOR(S) Jack A. Starr 7. PERFORMING... AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES FOR MINEFIELD RECONNAISSANCE AND MAPPING Jack A. Starr Lieutenant, United States Navy B.S., Oregon State University, 1991 Submitted in

Vector Pursuit Path Tracking for Autonomous Ground Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-08-01

vi INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................1...other geometric path-tracking techniques. 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION An autonomous vehicle is one that is capable of automatic navigation. It is...Joint Architecture for Unmanned Ground Vehicles ( JAUGS ) working group meeting held at the University of Florida. 5 Figure 1.5: Autonomous

Learner Behaviors and Perceptions of Autonomous Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bekleyen, Nilüfer; Selimoglu, Figen

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the learners' behaviors and perceptions about autonomous language learning at the university level in Turkey. It attempts to reveal what type of perceptions learners held regarding teachers' and their own responsibilities in the language learning process. Their autonomous language learning…

Communication and Control for Fleets of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-30

Washington State University (WSU) on fuzzy logic control systems [2-4] and autonomous vehicles [5-10]. The ALWSE-MC program developed at NAVSEA CSS was...rotating head sonar on crawlers as an additional sensor for navigation. We have previously investigated the use of video cameras on autonomous vehicles for...simulates autonomous vehicles performing mine reconnaissance/mapping, clearance, and surveillance in a littoral region. Three simulations were preformed

Cryosphere Sensor Webs With The Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharenbroich, L.; Doggett, T.; Kratz, T.; Castano, R.; Chien, S.; Davies, A. G.; Tran, D.; Mazzoni, D.

2006-12-01

Autonomous sensor-webs are being deployed as part of the Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment [1], whereby observations using the Hyperion instrument [2] on-board Earth Observing-1 (EO-1 are triggered by either ground sensors or by near-real-time analysis of data from other space-based sensors. In the realm of cryosphere monitoring, one sensor-web has been set up pairing EO-1 with a sensor buoy [3] deployed in Sparkling Lake, one of several lakes in northern Wisconsin monitored by University of Wisconsin's Trout Lake Station. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier was trained on historical thermistor chain data with manually recorded ice-in and ice-out times and used to trigger Hyperion observations of the Trout Lake area during spring thaw and winter freeze in 2005. A second sensor-web is being developed using near-real time sea ice data products, based on Department of Defense meteorological satellites, available from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) [4]. Once operational, this sensor web will trigger Hyperion observations of pre-defined targets in the Arctic and Antarctic where regional resolution data shows sea ice formation or break up. [1] Chien et al. (2005), An autonomous earth-observing sensor-web, IEEE Intelligent Systems, [2] Pearlman et al. (2003), Hyperion, a space-based imaging spectrometer, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Rem. Sens., 41(6), [3] Kratz, T. et al. (in press) Toward a Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network, Proceedings of the Karelian Institute, [4] Cavalieri et al. (1999) Near real-time DMSP SSM/I daily polar gridded sea ice concentrations, National Snow and Ice Data Center. Digital Media.

[Issues related to national university medical schools: focusing on the low wages of university hospital physicians].

PubMed

Takamuku, Masatoshi

2015-01-01

University hospitals, bringing together the three divisions of education, research, and clinical medicine, could be said to represent the pinnacle of medicine. However, when compared with physicians working at public and private hospitals, physicians working at university hospitals and medical schools face extremely poor conditions. This is because physicians at national university hospitals are considered to be "educators." Meanwhile, even after the privatization of national hospitals, physicians working for these institutions continue to be perceived as "medical practitioners." A situation may arise in which physicians working at university hospitals-performing top-level medical work while also being involved with university and postgraduate education, as well as research-might leave their posts because they are unable to live on their current salaries, especially in comparison with physicians working at national hospitals, who focus solely on medical care. This situation would be a great loss for Japan. This potential loss can be prevented by amending the classification of physicians at national university hospitals from "educators" to "medical practitioners." In order to accomplish this, the Japan Medical Association, upon increasing its membership and achieving growth, should act as a mediator in negotiations between national university hospitals, medical schools, and the government.

Agreement between Pittsburg State University/Kansas National Education Association and Pittsburg State University, 1989-90.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittsburg State Univ., KS.

The collective bargaining agreement between Pittsburg State University and Pittsburg State University/Kansas National Education Association, an affiliate of the National Education Association, covering the period May 19, 1989 to June 30, 1990 is presented. The contract covers the following items: recognition; equal opportunity; salaries…

The Progressive Faculty/Student Alliance of 1969/1970 and the Recent History of Lincoln University's Writing Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoogeveen, Jeffrey L.

Founded in 1854 as the Ashmun Institute, Lincoln University in southern Pennsylvania is the nation's oldest historically black university. Classical rhetoric and canonical literature were taught at Lincoln since its founding. Lincoln's writing program emerged fully and autonomously in 1978 and grew roughly at the same time that the discipline of…

JOMAR: Joint Operations with Mobile Autonomous Robots

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-21

AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2015-0009 JOMAR: Joint Operations with Mobile Autonomous Robots Edwin Olson UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Final Report 12/21/2015...SUBTITLE JOMAR: Joint Operations with Mobile Autonomous Robots 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA23861114024 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6...14. ABSTRACT Under this grant, we formulated and implemented a variety of novel algorithms that address core problems in multi- robot systems. These

University and Government in Mexico: Autonomy in an Authoritarian System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Daniel C.

The relationship between the authoritarian state and higher education in Mexico is examined in this case study. Focus is on the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) since it receives 40 percent of the federal budget for higher education, which makes it a prime example of autonomy within an authoritarian political system. Using three…

Improving Human/Autonomous System Teaming Through Linguistic Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meszaros, Erica L.

2016-01-01

An area of increasing interest for the next generation of aircraft is autonomy and the integration of increasingly autonomous systems into the national airspace. Such integration requires humans to work closely with autonomous systems, forming human and autonomous agent teams. The intention behind such teaming is that a team composed of both humans and autonomous agents will operate better than homogenous teams. Procedures exist for licensing pilots to operate in the national airspace system and current work is being done to define methods for validating the function of autonomous systems, however there is no method in place for assessing the interaction of these two disparate systems. Moreover, currently these systems are operated primarily by subject matter experts, limiting their use and the benefits of such teams. Providing additional information about the ongoing mission to the operator can lead to increased usability and allow for operation by non-experts. Linguistic analysis of the context of verbal communication provides insight into the intended meaning of commonly heard phrases such as "What's it doing now?" Analyzing the semantic sphere surrounding these common phrases enables the prediction of the operator's intent and allows the interface to supply the operator's desired information.

NASA University Research Centers Technical Advances in Education, Aeronautics, Space, Autonomy, Earth and Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jamshidi, M. (Editor); Lumia, R. (Editor); Tunstel, E., Jr. (Editor); White, B. (Editor); Malone, J. (Editor); Sakimoto, P. (Editor)

1997-01-01

This first volume of the Autonomous Control Engineering (ACE) Center Press Series on NASA University Research Center's (URC's) Advanced Technologies on Space Exploration and National Service constitute a report on the research papers and presentations delivered by NASA Installations and industry and Report of the NASA's fourteen URC's held at the First National Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico from February 16-19, 1997.

Universal characteristics of evolution and development are inherent in fetal autonomic brain maturation.

PubMed

Schmidt, Alexander; Schukat-Talamazzini, Ernst G; Zöllkau, Janine; Pytlik, Adelina; Leibl, Sophia; Kumm, Kathrin; Bode, Franziska; Kynass, Isabelle; Witte, Otto W; Schleussner, Ekkehard; Schneider, Uwe; Hoyer, Dirk

2018-07-01

Adverse prenatal environmental influences to the developing fetus are associated with mental and cardiovascular disease in later life. Universal developmental characteristics such as self-organization, pattern formation, and adaptation in the growing information processing system have not yet been sufficiently analyzed with respect to description of normal fetal development and identification of developmental disturbances. Fetal heart rate patterns are the only non-invasive order parameter of the developing autonomic brain available with respect to the developing complex organ system. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether universal indices, known from evolution and phylogeny, describe the ontogenetic fetal development from 20 weeks of gestation onwards. By means of a 10-fold cross-validated data-driven multivariate regression modeling procedure, relevant indices of heart rate variability (HRV) were explored using 552 fetal heart rate recordings, each lasting over 30 min. We found that models which included HRV indices of increasing fluctuation amplitude, complexity and fractal long-range dependencies largely estimated the maturation age (coefficients of determination 0.61-0.66). Consideration of these characteristics in prenatal care may not only have implications for early identification of developmental disturbances, but also for the development of system-theory-based therapeutic strategies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The National Center Test for University Admissions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watanabe, Yoshinori

2013-01-01

This article describes the National Center Test for University Admissions, a unified national test in Japan, which is taken by 500,000 students every year. It states that implementation of the Center Test began in 1990, with the English component consisting only of the written section until 2005, when the listening section was first implemented…

Development Of Autonomous Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanade, Takeo

1989-03-01

In the last several years at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, we have been working on two projects for developing autonomous systems: Nablab for Autonomous Land Vehicle and Ambler for Mars Rover. These two systems are for different purposes: the Navlab is a four-wheeled vehicle (van) for road and open terrain navigation, and the Ambler is a six-legged locomotor for Mars exploration. The two projects, however, share many common aspects. Both are large-scale integrated systems for navigation. In addition to the development of individual components (eg., construction and control of the vehicle, vision and perception, and planning), integration of those component technologies into a system by means of an appropriate architecture is a major issue.

Designing Assessment for Autonomous Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hay, Marie; Mathers, Lucy

2012-01-01

This paper aims to disseminate and evaluate an autonomous learning framework developed through collaborative research with first- and second-year undergraduate students at De Montfort University. Central to the framework is the involvement of students in the assessment of their peers and themselves using dialogue about the assessment and feedback…

Constraints and changes in the development of science and technology policies in Argentina's University of Buenos Aires and the National Autonomous University of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcantara, Armando

1999-06-01

This dissertation is a comparison of the effects of structural adjustment on scientific and technological policies in two of the largest and most important universities of Latin America, UBA and UNAM. In its broadest sense, scientific and technological policies encompass a set of interventions, decisions, and activities of different institutions within a given society aimed to hinder or stimulate the progress of scientific research, and the application of its products to socioeconomic, political, cultural or military objectives. The methodological approach for this dissertation aimed to combine data collected at both the macro and micro levels. First, a profound examination of different bibliographical sources such as books, articles, and documents of different kinds (policy papers, national plans, and working papers), was carried out. Secondly, a series of interviews were conducted with scientists in some of the natural sciences' research centers and institutes, academic administrators and top officials of the S&T government agencies, in Argentina and Mexico, The main goal of these interviews was to understand the institutional dynamics as it was shaped by actors and processes, outside and within the two universities. This study found that the structural adjustment process in Argentina and Mexico has negatively affected the S&T policies in both UBA and UNAM. Local S&T played a original role in the two universities under scrutiny. Investments in science and technology have remained significantly low in Argentina and Mexico. In addition to this, the small amount of scientific personnel, the predominantly public characteristic of S&T funds, and the reduced number of doctoral graduates resulted in low levels of scientific output as compared with the number of publications in international scientific literature. A predominant academic orientation with few contributions to societal needs, either related to the productive sectors or to social problems such as pollution

Incorporation of National Universities in Japan Design, Implementation and Consequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaneko, Motohisa

2009-01-01

As of April 1 of 2004, Japanese national universities became National University Corporations (NUCs hereafter). While the reform was implemented in a wave of initiatives for restructuring government activities, it reflected to an extent the current global trend toward marketization of higher education. Examination of this reform will not only help…

Attitude to the subject of chemistry in undergraduate nursing students at Fiji National University and Federation University, Australia.

PubMed

Brown, Stephen; Wakeling, Lara; Peck, Blake; Naiker, Mani; Hill, Dolores; Naidu, Keshni

2015-01-01

Attitude to the subject of chemistry was quantified in first-year undergraduate nursing students, at two geographically distinct universities. A purpose-designed diagnostic instrument (ASCI) was given to students at Federation University, Australia (n= 114), and at Fiji National University, Fiji (n=160). Affective and cognitive sub-scales within ASCI showed reasonable internal consistency. Cronbach's alpha for the cognitive sub-scale was 0.786 and 0.630, and 0.787 and 0.788 for affective sub-scale for the Federation University and Fiji National University students, respectively. Mean (SD) score for the cognitive sub-scale was 10.5 (5.6) and 15.2 (4.1) for students at Federation University and Fiji National University, respectively (P<0.001, t-test). Mean (SD) score for the affective sub-scale was 13.1 (5.1) and 20.7 (4.3) for students at Federation University and Fiji National University, respectively (P < 0.001, t-test). An exploratory factor analysis (n=274) confirmed a two-factor solution consistent with affective and cognitive sub-scales, each with good internal consistency. Quantifying attitude to chemistry in undergraduate nursing students using ASCI may have utility in assessing the impact of novel teaching strategies used in the education of nursing students in areas of bioscience and chemistry. However, geographically distinct populations of undergraduate nurses may show very different attitudes to chemistry.

Ready for University? A Cross-National Study of Students' Perceived Preparedness for University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansen, Ellen P. W. A.; van der Meer, Jacques

2012-01-01

Students' preparedness for higher education is seen as one of the main factors affecting first-year attrition or study success. In this paper we report on a cross-national study in which students' preparedness for university was measured "before" students commenced their study at a university in New Zealand or in the Netherlands. This…

Governance of National Research University in Southeast Asia: The Case of Chiang Mai University in Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rungfamai, Kreangchai

2018-01-01

This paper aims to deal with lingering governance issues of a prestigious university in a developing country of Southeast Asia. It provides a description of environments, changes, and university stakeholders' perceptions in terms of governance arrangements of Chiang Mai University (CMU), which was selected as a National Research University in…

The Functioning of Autonomous Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, V. Pala Prasada; Rao, Digumarti Bhaskara

2012-01-01

The college gets separated from the university, though not completely, when it is an autonomous college, which is practice in India. Academic package will become flexible and the decision-making is internalized, changes and updating could be easily carried out, depending on the need as reflected from the feedback taken from alumni, user sectors,…

Autonomous and Autonomic Swarms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G.; Rash, James L.; Truszkowski, Walter F.; Rouff, Christopher A.; Sterritt, Roy

2005-01-01

A watershed in systems engineering is represented by the advent of swarm-based systems that accomplish missions through cooperative action by a (large) group of autonomous individuals each having simple capabilities and no global knowledge of the group s objective. Such systems, with individuals capable of surviving in hostile environments, pose unprecedented challenges to system developers. Design and testing and verification at much higher levels will be required, together with the corresponding tools, to bring such systems to fruition. Concepts for possible future NASA space exploration missions include autonomous, autonomic swarms. Engineering swarm-based missions begins with understanding autonomy and autonomicity and how to design, test, and verify systems that have those properties and, simultaneously, the capability to accomplish prescribed mission goals. Formal methods-based technologies, both projected and in development, are described in terms of their potential utility to swarm-based system developers.

Merged Vision and GPS Control of a Semi-Autonomous, Small Helicopter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rock, Stephen M.

1999-01-01

This final report documents the activities performed during the research period from April 1, 1996 to September 30, 1997. It contains three papers: Carrier Phase GPS and Computer Vision for Control of an Autonomous Helicopter; A Contestant in the 1997 International Aerospace Robotics Laboratory Stanford University; and Combined CDGPS and Vision-Based Control of a Small Autonomous Helicopter.

78 FR 90 - Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors Closed Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-02

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors Closed Meeting AGENCY: National Intelligence University, Defense Intelligence... hereby given that a closed meeting of the National Intelligence University Board of Visitors has been...

[The inter-university learning website: a national university network for online teaching of pathology].

PubMed

Gauchotte, Guillaume; Ameisen, David; Boutonnat, Jean; Battistella, Maxime; Copie, Christiane; Garcia, Stéphane; Rigau, Valérie; Galateau-Sallé, Françoise; Terris, Benoit; Vergier, Béatrice; Wendum, Dominique; Bertheau, Philippe

2013-06-01

Building online teaching materials is a highly time and energy consuming task for teachers of a single university. With the help of the Collège des pathologistes, we initiated a French national university network for building mutualized online teaching pathology cases, tests and other pedagogic resources. Nineteen French universities are associated to this project, initially funded by UNF3S (http://www.unf3s.org/). One national e-learning Moodle platform (http://virtual-slides.univ-paris7.fr/moodle/) contains texts, medias and URL pointing toward decentralized virtual slides. The Moodle interface has been explained to the teachers since september 2011 using web-based conferences with screen-sharing. The following contents have been created: 20 clinical cases, several tests with multiple choices and short answer questions, and gross examination videos. A survey with 16 teachers and students showed a 94 % satisfaction rate, most of the 16 participants being favorable to the development of e-learning, in parallel with other courses in classroom. These tools will be further developed for the different study levels of pathology. In conclusion, these tools offer very interesting perspectives for pathology teaching. The organization of a national inter-university network is a useful way to create and share numerous and good-quality pedagogic resources. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Incorporation of National Universities in Korea: Dynamic Forces, Key Features, and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhee, Byung-Shik

2007-01-01

Education reform has become more popular than ever, and the incorporation of public institutions of higher education is one such reform. Eventually, Korea will see its national universities being incorporated. The legislature passed a law on March 7, 2007 that requires a new national university to be established as a National University…

Draper Laboratory small autonomous aerial vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeBitetto, Paul A.; Johnson, Eric N.; Bosse, Michael C.; Trott, Christian A.

1997-06-01

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. and students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston University have cooperated to develop an autonomous aerial vehicle that won the 1996 International Aerial Robotics Competition. This paper describes the approach, system architecture and subsystem designs for the entry. This entry represents a combination of many technology areas: navigation, guidance, control, vision processing, human factors, packaging, power, real-time software, and others. The aerial vehicle, an autonomous helicopter, performs navigation and control functions using multiple sensors: differential GPS, inertial measurement unit, sonar altimeter, and a flux compass. The aerial transmits video imagery to the ground. A ground based vision processor converts the image data into target position and classification estimates. The system was designed, built, and flown in less than one year and has provided many lessons about autonomous vehicle systems, several of which are discussed. In an appendix, our current research in augmenting the navigation system with vision- based estimates is presented.

Australian National University Science Extension Day

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, Sarah

2016-01-01

The first Australian National University (ANU) Science Extension Day was held on September 8, 2015. The ANU Science Extension Day is a project that was initiated by Theodore Primary School (ACT) and developed by Theodore Primary, Calwell High School, Science Educators Association of the ACT (SEA*ACT), and the ANU. The project was developed with a…

Are virtues national, supranational, or universal?

PubMed

van Oudenhoven, Jan Pieter; de Raad, Boele; Timmerman, Marieke E; Askevis-Leherpeux, Françoise; Boski, Pawel; Carmona, Carmen; Choubisa, Rajneesh; Del Carmen Dominguez, Alejandra; Bye, Hege H; Kurylo, Anastacia; Lahmann, Cornelia; Mastor, Khairul; Selenko, Eva; Slezáčková, Alena; Smith, Ripley; Tip, Linda; Yik, Michelle

2014-01-01

Many studies investigated cultural differences in values, most notably by Hofstede and Schwarz. Relatively few have focused on virtues, a related and important concept in contemporary social science. The present paper examines the similarities and differences between nations, or blocks of - culturally related - nations on the perceived importance of virtues. Adults (N = 2.809 students) from 14 countries were asked to freely mention which virtues they found important to practice in daily life, and next to rate a list of 15 virtues, which reflect the most frequently mentioned categories in The Netherlands, as found in a previous study. The 14 nations included the United States, Mexico, nine European and three Asian nations. For the free-listed virtues, we compared the top-ten lists of most frequently mentioned virtues across the nations. We used a correspondence analysis on the frequency table to assess the relationships between the virtues and nations. For the 15 virtues ratings, a MANOVA, and follow-up ANOVA's were used to examine effects of nation, age, gender and religion. We found strong evidence for relationships between nations and blocks of culturally related nations and the importance attached to various virtues. There appear to be some country specific virtues, such as generosity in France, but also some relatively universal virtues, most notably honesty, respect, and kindness.

Beyond knowledge transfer: The social construction of autonomous academic science in university-industry agricultural biotechnology research collaborations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biscotti, Dina Louise

Autonomy is a social product. Although some might view autonomy as the absence of social interference in individual action, it is in fact produced through social institutions. It enables social actors to act; it is the justification for the allocation of enormous public resources into institutions classified as "public" or "nonprofit;" it can lead to innovation; and, significantly, it is key to the public acceptance of new technologies. In this dissertation, I analyze the social construction of autonomy for academic science in U.S. university-industry agricultural biotechnology research collaborations. University-industry relationships (UIRs) are a site of concern about the influence of commercial interests on academic science. Agricultural biotechnology is a contentious technology that has prompted questions about the ecological and public health implications of genetically-modified plants and animals. It has also spurred awareness of the industrialization of agriculture and accelerating corporate control of the global food system. Through analysis of in-depth interviews with over 200 scientists and administrators from nine U.S. research universities and thirty agricultural biotechnology companies, I find that both the academy and industry have a vested interest in the social construction of the academy as an autonomous space from which claims to objective, disinterested scientific knowledge can be made. These claims influence government regulation, as well as grower and public acceptance of agricultural biotechnology products. I argue that the social production of autonomy for academic science can be observed in narratives and practices related to: (1) the framing of when, how and why academic scientists collaborate with industry, (2) the meanings ascribed to and the uses deemed appropriate for industry monies in academic research, and (3) the dissemination of research results into the public domain through publications and patents. These narratives and practices

A University for the World: The United Nations Plan. Fastback 51.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Harold

This booklet discusses how the United Nations University, established in 1973, can bring youth together on a world scale and create an international system through which youth can join in the work of building a world community. The first chapter, A University for the World: The United Nations Plan, describes student protests in Thailand in 1973.…

Techno-Nationalism and the Construction of University Technology Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sá, Creso; Kretz, Andrew; Sigurdson, Kristjan

2013-01-01

Our historical study of Canada's main research university illuminates the overlooked influence of national identities and interests as forces shaping the institutionalization of technology transfer. Through the use of archival sources we trace the rise and influence of Canadian technological nationalism--a response to Canada's perceived dependency…

Autonomous Formation Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schkolnik, Gerard S.; Cobleigh, Brent

2004-01-01

NASA's Strategic Plan for the Aerospace Technology Enterprise includes ambitious objectives focused on affordable air travel, reduced emissions, and expanded aviation-system capacity. NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, in cooperation with NASA Ames Research Center, the Boeing Company, and the University of California, Los Angeles, has embarked on an autonomous-formation-flight project that promises to make significant strides towards these goals. For millions of years, birds have taken advantage of the aerodynamic benefit of flying in formation. The traditional "V" formation flown by many species of birds (including gulls, pelicans, and geese) enables each of the trailing birds to fly in the upwash flow field that exists just outboard of the bird immediately ahead in the formation. The result for each trailing bird is a decrease in induced drag and thus a reduction in the energy needed to maintain a given speed. Hence, for migratory birds, formation flight extends the range of the system of birds over the range of birds flying solo. The Autonomous Formation Flight (AFF) Project is seeking to extend this symbiotic relationship to aircraft.

Results of NASA's First Autonomous Formation Flying Experiment: Earth Observing-1 (EO-1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David C.; Hawkins, Albin; Bauer, Frank H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

NASA's first autonomous formation flying mission completed its primary goal of demonstrating an advanced technology called enhanced formation flying. To enable this technology, the Guidance, Navigation, and Control center at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) implemented a universal 3-axis formation flying algorithm in an autonomous executive flight code onboard the New Millennium Program's (NMP) Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft. This paper describes the mathematical background of the autonomous formation flying algorithm and the onboard flight design and presents the validation results of this unique system. Results from functionality assessment through fully autonomous maneuver control are presented as comparisons between the onboard EO-1 operational autonomous control system called AutoCon(tm), its ground-based predecessor, and a standalone algorithm.

Aviation human factors research in US universities: Potential contributions to national needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dismukes, R. Key

1994-01-01

Universities can and should make vital contributions to national needs in aviation human factors. However, to guide and utilize university research effectively we must understand what types of expertise and facilities universities can bring to bear on aviation problems. We should be aware of where relevant research is already underway and where untapped potential exists. How does the character of research in universities differ from and complement research in government and industry laboratories? What conditions would encourage universities to focus on national priorities and would promote high quality, relevant research? This paper attempts to address these issues. It is based on a survey conducted by the author, which included site visits to several universities, telephone interviews with faculty members at other universities, and a search of the aviation human factors research literature.

Integration of Libration Point Orbit Dynamics into a Universal 3-D Autonomous Formation Flying Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David; Bauer, Frank H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The autonomous formation flying control algorithm developed by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) for the New Millennium Program (NMP) Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) mission is investigated for applicability to libration point orbit formations. In the EO-1 formation-flying algorithm, control is accomplished via linearization about a reference transfer orbit with a state transition matrix (STM) computed from state inputs. The effect of libration point orbit dynamics on this algorithm architecture is explored via computation of STMs using the flight proven code, a monodromy matrix developed from a N-body model of a libration orbit, and a standard STM developed from the gravitational and coriolis effects as measured at the libration point. A comparison of formation flying Delta-Vs calculated from these methods is made to a standard linear quadratic regulator (LQR) method. The universal 3-D approach is optimal in the sense that it can be accommodated as an open-loop or closed-loop control using only state information.

International University Research Ventures: Implications for U.S. Economic Competitiveness National Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-03-31

NTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH VENTURES: IMPLICATIONS FOR US ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND NATIONAL SECURITY The views, opinions and/or findings...UNIVERSITY RESEARCH VENTURES: IMPLICATIONS FOR US ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND NATIONAL SECURITY Report Term: 0-Other Email: mzak@gatech.edu...expected to inform political and economic theories about technology transfer, innovation, economic competitiveness, and democratization/civil

Independent Colleges and Universities: A National Profile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, 2004

2004-01-01

Independent, or private, colleges and universities are diverse in their depth and variety -- in students, faculty, academic offerings, tuition levels. Surprising to many is just how affordable a quality private college education can be. It's an attainable dream for students from every social and economic segment of the nation. A private college…

The Autonomic Symptom Profile: a new instrument to assess autonomic symptoms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suarez, G. A.; Opfer-Gehrking, T. L.; Offord, K. P.; Atkinson, E. J.; O'Brien, P. C.; Low, P. A.

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop a new specific instrument called the Autonomic Symptom Profile to measure autonomic symptoms and test its validity. BACKGROUND: Measuring symptoms is important in the evaluation of quality of life outcomes. There is no validated, self-completed questionnaire on the symptoms of patients with autonomic disorders. METHODS: The questionnaire is 169 items concerning different aspects of autonomic symptoms. The Composite Autonomic Symptom Scale (COMPASS) with item-weighting was established; higher scores indicate more or worse symptoms. Autonomic function tests were performed to generate the Composite Autonomic Scoring Scale (CASS) and to quantify autonomic deficits. We compared the results of the COMPASS with the CASS derived from the Autonomic Reflex Screen to evaluate validity. RESULTS: The instrument was tested in 41 healthy controls (mean age 46.6 years), 33 patients with nonautonomic peripheral neuropathies (mean age 59.5 years), and 39 patients with autonomic failure (mean age 61.1 years). COMPASS scores correlated well with the CASS, demonstrating an acceptable level of content and criterion validity. The mean (+/-SD) overall COMPASS score was 9.8 (+/-9) in controls, 25.9 (+/-17.9) in the patients with nonautonomic peripheral neuropathies, and 52.3 (+/-24.2) in the autonomic failure group. Scores of symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and secretomotor dysfunction best predicted the CASS on multiple stepwise regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a questionnaire that measures autonomic symptoms and present evidence for its validity. The instrument shows promise in assessing autonomic symptoms in clinical trials and epidemiologic studies.

Autonomic neuropathies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Low, P. A.

1998-01-01

A limited autonomic neuropathy may underlie some unusual clinical syndromes, including the postural tachycardia syndrome, pseudo-obstruction syndrome, heat intolerance, and perhaps chronic fatigue syndrome. Antibodies to autonomic structures are common in diabetes, but their specificity is unknown. The presence of autonomic failure worsens prognosis in the diabetic state. Some autonomic neuropathies are treatable. Familial amyloid polyneuropathy may respond to liver transplantation. There are anecdotal reports of acute panautonomic neuropathy responding to intravenous gamma globulin. Orthostatic hypotension may respond to erythropoietin or midodrine.

Preliminary Results of NASA's First Autonomous Formation Flying Experiment: Earth Observing-1 (EO-1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David; Hawkins, Albin

2001-01-01

NASA's first autonomous formation flying mission is completing a primary goal of demonstrating an advanced technology called enhanced formation flying. To enable this technology, the Guidance, Navigation, and Control center at the Goddard Space Flight Center has implemented an autonomous universal three-axis formation flying algorithm in executive flight code onboard the New Millennium Program's (NMP) Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft. This paper describes the mathematical background of the autonomous formation flying algorithm and the onboard design and presents the preliminary validation results of this unique system. Results from functionality assessment and autonomous maneuver control are presented as comparisons between the onboard EO-1 operational autonomous control system called AutoCon(tm), its ground-based predecessor, and a stand-alone algorithm.

Evaluating Lake Superior nearshore offshore gradients using autonomous gliders

EPA Science Inventory

Slocum electric gliders are autonomous vehicles capable of continuously mapping subsurface conditions at high resolution for months at a time. During the 2016 CSMI in Lake Superior, seven glider deployments were undertaken through a partnership between University of Minnesota Dul...

Evolution of National University Students' Optical-Science-Technology competition in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xu; Liu, XiangDong; Wang, XiaoPing; Zheng, XiaoDong; Lin, YuanFang; Wang, Kaiwei

2017-08-01

The goal of National University Students' Optical-Science-Technology Competition (NUSOSTC) is to provide a nation-wide platform for students from the colleges and universities, which have majors in the field of optics and photonics, to communicate and learning each other. Meanwhile, it works on pushing forward the popularity of optoelectronic knowledge, cultivating the students' teamwork and innovation ability, promoting higher education personnel training mode and practice teaching reform, and then improving the quality of talent training. The founding, organizational structure development and overall organizational arrangements of NUSOSTC were introduced in this paper. Besides, the competition logo, theme, title, final date, numbers of participating universities, undertaking universities and cities of the five NUSOSTCs held during 2008 to 2016 and the progress had been made were given in detail.

The autonomic laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Low, P. A.; Opfer-Gehrking, T. L.

1999-01-01

The autonomic nervous system can now be studied quantitatively, noninvasively, and reproducibly in a clinical autonomic laboratory. The approach at the Mayo Clinic is to study the postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers of peripheral nerve (using the quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test [QSART]), the parasympathetic nerves to the heart (cardiovagal tests), and the regulation of blood pressure by the baroreflexes (adrenergic tests). Patient preparation is extremely important, since the state of the patient influences the results of autonomic function tests. The autonomic technologist in this evolving field needs to have a solid core of knowledge of autonomic physiology and autonomic function tests, followed by training in the performance of these tests in a standardized fashion. The range and utilization of tests of autonomic function will likely continue to evolve.

Accreditation Role of the National Universities Commission and the Quality of the Educational Inputs into Nigerian University System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibijola; Yinka, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

The Accreditation role of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the quality of the educational inputs into Nigerian university system was investigated in this work, using a descriptive research of survey design. The population consisted of public Universities in South-West, Nigeria. The sample was made up of 300 subjects, consisting of 50…

Autonomic headache with autonomic seizures: a case report.

PubMed

Ozge, Aynur; Kaleagasi, Hakan; Yalçin Tasmertek, Fazilet

2006-10-01

The aim of the report is to present a case of an autonomic headache associated with autonomic seizures. A 19-year-old male who had had complex partial seizures for 15 years was admitted with autonomic complaints and left hemicranial headache, independent from seizures, that he had had for 2 years and were provoked by watching television. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed right hippocampal sclerosis and electroencephalography revealed epileptic activity in right hemispheric areas. Treatment with valproic acid decreased the complaints. The headache did not fulfil the criteria for the diagnosis of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, and was different from epileptic headache, which was defined as a pressing type pain felt over the forehead for several minutes to a few hours. Although epileptic headache responds to anti-epileptics and the complaints of the present case decreased with antiepileptics, it has been suggested that the headache could be a non-trigeminal autonomic headache instead of an epileptic headache.

76 FR 18737 - Notification of Open Meeting of the National Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-05

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Notification of Open Meeting of the National Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV) AGENCY: National Defense University, DoD. ACTION: Notice of Open Meeting... an open meeting of the National Defense University (NDU) Board of Visitors. The dates of the meeting...

Mobile Autonomous Humanoid Assistant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diftler, M. A.; Ambrose, R. O.; Tyree, K. S.; Goza, S. M.; Huber, E. L.

2004-01-01

A mobile autonomous humanoid robot is assisting human co-workers at the Johnson Space Center with tool handling tasks. This robot combines the upper body of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Robonaut system with a Segway(TradeMark) Robotic Mobility Platform yielding a dexterous, maneuverable humanoid perfect for aiding human co-workers in a range of environments. This system uses stereo vision to locate human team mates and tools and a navigation system that uses laser range and vision data to follow humans while avoiding obstacles. Tactile sensors provide information to grasping algorithms for efficient tool exchanges. The autonomous architecture utilizes these pre-programmed skills to form human assistant behaviors. The initial behavior demonstrates a robust capability to assist a human by acquiring a tool from a remotely located individual and then following the human in a cluttered environment with the tool for future use.

77 FR 32952 - Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors Closed Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-04

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors Closed Meeting AGENCY: Department of Defense, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence University. ACTION: Notice of closed meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of...

National University Rail Transportation Center : Tier 1 : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-10-17

This project was a collaborative effort between Michigan Techs Rail Transportation Program (RTP), a member of the National University Rail Center (NURail) and the Michigan Dept of Transportation (MDOT), Office of Rail to advance rail transportatio...

Japan's Higher Education Incorporation Policy: A Comparative Analysis of Three Stages of National University Governance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanada, Shingo

2013-01-01

A number of countries with public higher education systems have implemented privatisation policies. In Japan, the national government introduced the National University Corporation Act (NUCA) in 2004 and changed the legal status of national universities from that of government-owned public institutions to independent administrative agencies. Its…

Aviation Human Factors Research in U.S. Universities: Potential Contributions to National Needs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-03-01

Universities can and should make vital contributions to national needs in : aviation human factors. However, to guide and utilize university research : effectively we must understand what types of expertise and facilities : universities can bring to ...

Research Universities and the Future of America: Ten Breakthrough Actions Vital to Our Nation's Prosperity and Security

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academies Press, 2012

2012-01-01

"Research Universities and the Future of America" presents critically important strategies for ensuring that our nation's research universities contribute strongly to America's prosperity, security, and national goals. Widely considered the best in the world, our nation's research universities today confront significant financial…

77 FR 68745 - Notification of an Open Meeting of the National Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-16

..., organizational management, strategic planning, resource management, and other matters of interest to the National... Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV) AGENCY: National Defense University, DoD. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY: The National Defense University (NDU), Designated Federal Officer, has scheduled...

Nation Building and the Role of the University: A Critical Reflection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgs, P.

2002-01-01

Asserts that in South Africa, political and economic discourse has to a large extent perceived the social role of the university in terms of nation building. Suggests instead that the basis for the university's service to society lies in its character as a community of reason. (EV)

78 FR 25431 - Notification of an Open Meeting of the National Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-01

..., organizational management, strategic planning, resource management, and other matters of interest to the National... Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV) AGENCY: National Defense University, DoD. ACTION: Notice of... 102-3.150, the Department of Defense announces that meeting of the National Defense University Board...

Autonomous multifunctional nanobrushes-autonomous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasemi-Nejhad, Mehrdad N.; Tius, Marcus A.

2007-04-01

In this work, taking advantage of carbon nanotubes' small size, and exceptional mechanical, chemical and electrical properties, we report on a series of nano-synthesis procedures that combine conventional chemical vapor deposition and selective substrate area growth followed by chemical functionalizations to fabricate functionalized nano-brushes from aligned carbon nanotube arrays and chemically selective functional groups. The high aspect ratio and small dimension, mechanical stability and flexibility, surface chemical and adhesive characteristics of carbon nanotubes provide opportunities to create nano-brushes with selected chemical functionalities. The nano-brushes are made from aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube bristles grafted onto long SiC fiber handles in various configurations and functionalized with various chemical functional groups. These nano-brushes can easily be manipulated physically, either manually or with the aid of motors. Here, we explain the autonomous characteristics of the functionalized nano-brushes employing functional chemical groups such that the nano-brush can potentially collect various metal particles, ions, and contaminants from liquid solutions and the air environment, autonomously. These functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube based nano-brushes can work swiftly in both liquid and air environments. With surface modification and functionalization, the nanotube nano-brushes can potentially become a versatile nano-devices in many chemical and biological applications, where they can autonomously pick up the particles they encounter since they can be chemically programmed to function as Autonomous Chemical Nano Robots (ACNR).

Is Drop-Out from University Dependent on National Culture and Policy? The Case of Denmark

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Troelsen, Rie; Laursen, Per F.

2014-01-01

National cultures are known to influence educational institutions and practices in many ways. It therefore seems reasonable to assume that drop-out from university is also influenced by differences in national cultures. In this article, we compare drop-out from Danish universities with drop-out from European universities. Based on Danish national…

SAMURAI: Polar AUV-Based Autonomous Dexterous Sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akin, D. L.; Roberts, B. J.; Smith, W.; Roderick, S.; Reves-Sohn, R.; Singh, H.

2006-12-01

While autonomous undersea vehicles are increasingly being used for surveying and mapping missions, as of yet there has been little concerted effort to create a system capable of performing physical sampling or other manipulation of the local environment. This type of activity has typically been performed under teleoperated control from ROVs, which provides high-bandwidth real-time human direction of the manipulation activities. Manipulation from an AUV will require a completely autonomous sampling system, which implies both advanced technologies such as machine vision and autonomous target designation, but also dexterous robot manipulators to perform the actual sampling without human intervention. As part of the NASA Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring the Planets (ASTEP) program, the University of Maryland Space Systems Laboratory has been adapting and extending robotics technologies developed for spacecraft assembly and maintenance to the problem of autonomous sampling of biologicals and soil samples around hydrothermal vents. The Sub-polar ice Advanced Manipulator for Universal Sampling and Autonomous Intervention (SAMURAI) system is comprised of a 6000-meter capable six-degree-of-freedom dexterous manipulator, along with an autonomous vision system, multi-level control system, and sampling end effectors and storage mechanisms to allow collection of samples from vent fields. SAMURAI will be integrated onto the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) Jaguar AUV, and used in Arctic during the fall of 2007 for autonomous vent field sampling on the Gakkel Ridge. Under the current operations concept, the JAGUAR and PUMA AUVs will survey the water column and localize on hydrothermal vents. Early mapping missions will create photomosaics of the vents and local surroundings, allowing scientists on the mission to designate desirable sampling targets. Based on physical characteristics such as size, shape, and coloration, the targets will be loaded into the

An architecture for an autonomous learning robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tillotson, Brian

1988-01-01

An autonomous learning device must solve the example bounding problem, i.e., it must divide the continuous universe into discrete examples from which to learn. We describe an architecture which incorporates an example bounder for learning. The architecture is implemented in the GPAL program. An example run with a real mobile robot shows that the program learns and uses new causal, qualitative, and quantitative relationships.

Cooperative Science: A National Study of University and Industry Researchers. Assessment of the Industry/University Cooperative Research Projects Program (IUCR). Volume I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Elmima C.; Tornatzky, Louis G.

This report presents data from a national study of 118 Industry/University Cooperative Research (IUCR) projects supported by the National Science Foundation. Questionnaire responses were gathered from 226 industry and university scientists working on these projects. The purpose of the study was to describe how IUCR projects develop, how they are…

Genetic autonomic disorders.

PubMed

Axelrod, Felicia B

2013-03-01

Genetic disorders affecting the autonomic nervous system can result in abnormal development of the nervous system or they can be caused by neurotransmitter imbalance, an ion-channel disturbance or by storage of deleterious material. The symptoms indicating autonomic dysfunction, however, will depend upon whether the genetic lesion has disrupted peripheral or central autonomic centers or both. Because the autonomic nervous system is pervasive and affects every organ system in the body, autonomic dysfunction will result in impaired homeostasis and symptoms will vary. The possibility of genetic confirmation by molecular testing for specific diagnosis is increasing but treatments tend to remain only supportive and directed toward particular symptoms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Autonomous Motivation and Fruit/Vegetable Intake in Parent-Adolescent Dyads.

PubMed

Dwyer, Laura A; Bolger, Niall; Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe; Patrick, Heather; Oh, April Y; Nebeling, Linda C; Hennessy, Erin

2017-06-01

Autonomous motivation (motivation to engage in a behavior because of personal choice, interest, or value) is often associated with health behaviors. The present study contributes to research on motivation and eating behaviors by examining (1) how autonomous motivation is correlated within parent-adolescent dyads and (2) whether parent- and adolescent-reported autonomous motivation predicts the parent-adolescent correlation in fruit and vegetable (FV) intake frequency. Data were drawn from the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) Study, a cross-sectional U.S. survey of parent-adolescent dyads led by the National Cancer Institute and fielded between April and October 2014. In 2016, data were analyzed from dyads who had responses on a six-item self-report measure of daily frequency of FV consumption and a two-item self-report measure of autonomous motivation for consuming FVs. Parents' and adolescents' reports of autonomous motivation and FV intake frequency were positively correlated. Both parents' and adolescents' autonomous motivation predicted higher levels of their own FV intake frequency and that of their dyad partner (p-values ≤0.001). These effects of autonomous motivation explained 22.6% of the parent-adolescent correlation in FV intake frequency. Actor effects (one's motivation predicting their own FV intake frequency) were stronger than partner effects (one's motivation predicting their partner's FV intake frequency). Parent-adolescent similarity in autonomous motivation for healthy eating may contribute to similarity in eating behaviors. Future research should further examine how individual-level health behavior correlates influence health behaviors within dyads. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Autonomous Motivation and Fruit/Vegetable Intake in Parent–Adolescent Dyads

PubMed Central

Dwyer, Laura A.; Bolger, Niall; Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe; Patrick, Heather; Oh, April Y.; Nebeling, Linda C.; Hennessy, Erin

2017-01-01

Introduction Autonomous motivation (motivation to engage in a behavior because of personal choice, interest, or value) is often associated with health behaviors. The present study contributes to research on motivation and eating behaviors by examining: (1) how autonomous motivation is correlated within parent–adolescent dyads; and (2) whether parent- and adolescent-reported autonomous motivation predicts the parent–adolescent correlation in fruit and vegetable (FV) intake frequency. Methods Data were drawn from the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) Study, a cross-sectional U.S. survey of parent–adolescent dyads led by the National Cancer Institute and fielded between April and October 2014. In 2016, data were analyzed from dyads who had responses on a six-item self-report measure of daily frequency of FV consumption and a two-item self-report measure of autonomous motivation for consuming FVs. Results Parents' and adolescents' reports of autonomous motivation and FV intake frequency were positively correlated. Both parents' and adolescents' autonomous motivation predicted higher levels of their own FV intake frequency and that of their dyad partner (p-values ≤0.001). These effects of autonomous motivation explained 22.6% of the parent–adolescent correlation in FV intake frequency. Actor effects (one's motivation predicting their own FV intake frequency) were stronger than partner effects (one's motivation predicting their partner's FV intake frequency). Conclusions Parent–adolescent similarity in autonomous motivation for healthy eating may contribute to similarity in eating behaviors. Future research should further examine how individual-level health behavior correlates influence health behaviors within dyads. PMID:28526363

Onboard Processing and Autonomous Operations on the IPEX Cubesat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, Steve; Doubleday, Joshua; Ortega, Kevin; Flatley, Tom; Crum, Gary; Geist, Alessandro; Lin, Michael; Williams, Austin; Bellardo, John; Puig-Suari, Jordi;

Stories of Change: The National University of Ireland, Galway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maclabhrainn, Iain

The National University of Ireland, Galway, was founded in the 1840s and is now one of seven universities in the Republic of Ireland. It has over 14,500 students and about 700 academic staff in five Colleges spanning traditional and modern academic disciplines. The location is a small but very vibrant city which is making a lot of efforts to preserve the Irish culture and tradition. This is an aspect which is also reflected in the university's ethos. Its research specializes in areas such as Web technologies, biomedical sciences, environment, humanities, and applied social sciences and its research funding and output have increased dramatically over the last 10 years, in itself producing a large shift in institutional culture.

Patients With Fibromyalgia Have Significant Autonomic Symptoms But Modest Autonomic Dysfunction.

PubMed

Vincent, Ann; Whipple, Mary O; Low, Phillip A; Joyner, Michael; Hoskin, Tanya L

2016-05-01

Research suggests that disordered autonomic function may be one contributor to deconditioning reported in fibromyalgia; however, no study to date has assessed these variables simultaneously with comprehensive measures. To characterize physical fitness and autonomic function with the use of clinically validated measures and subjective questionnaires between patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. Cross-sectional, observational, controlled study. Community sample of patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. Thirty patients with fibromyalgia and 30 pain and fatigue-free controls. Participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and physiological measures, including clinically validated measures of physical fitness and autonomic function. Six-Minute Walk Test total distance, maximal oxygen consumption as assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, total steps using activity monitor, Composite Autonomic Scoring Scale as assessed by Autonomic Reflex Screen, total metabolic equivalents per week using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and self-reported autonomic symptoms via the 31-item Composite Autonomic Symptom Score questionnaire. Autonomic function, as assessed by self-report, was significantly different between patients and controls (P < .0001); in contrast, the only difference between patients and controls on the Autonomic Reflex Screen was in the adrenergic domain (P = .022), and these abnormalities were mild. Self-reported physical activity was not significantly different between patients and controls (P = .99), but levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity as measured by actigraphy were significantly lower in patients (P = .012 and P = .047, respectively). Exercise capacity (6-Minute Walk) was poorer in patients (P = .0006), but there was no significant difference in maximal volume of oxygen consumption (P = .07). Patients with fibromyalgia report more severe symptoms across all domains, including physical

Patients with Fibromyalgia Have Significant Autonomic Symptoms but Modest Autonomic Dysfunction

PubMed Central

Vincent, Ann; Whipple, Mary O.; Low, Phillip A.; Joyner, Michael; Hoskin, Tanya L.

2015-01-01

Background Research suggests that disordered autonomic function may be one contributor to deconditioning reported in fibromyalgia, however no study to date has simultaneously assessed these variables utilizing comprehensive measures. Objective To characterize physical fitness and autonomic function using clinically validated measures and subjective questionnaires between patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. Design Cross-sectional, observational, controlled study Setting Community sample of patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls Participants 30 patients with fibromyalgia and 30 pain and fatigue-free controls Methods: Participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and physiological measures including clinically validated measures of physical fitness and autonomic function. Main Outcome Measurements 6 Minute Walk Test total distance, VO2 max as assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, total steps using activity monitor, Composite Autonomic Scoring Scale as assessed by Autonomic Reflex Screen, total metabolic equivalents per week using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and self-reported autonomic symptoms using the 31-item Composite Autonomic Symptom Score questionnaire. Results Autonomic function, as assessed by self-report, was significantly different between patients and controls (p<.0001); in contrast, the only difference between patients and controls on the Autonomic Reflex Screen was in the adrenergic domain (p=.022), and these abnormalities were mild. Self-reported physical activity was not significantly different between patients and controls (p=.99), but levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity as measured by actigraphy, were significantly lower in patients (p=.012 and p=.047, respectively). Exercise capacity (6 Minute Walk) was poorer in patients (p=.0006), but there was no significant difference in maximal volume of oxygen consumption (p=.07). Conclusions Patients with fibromyalgia report

Solar University-National Lab Ultra-Effective Program | Photovoltaic

Science.gov Websites

Lab Ultra-Effective Program Solar University-National lab Ultra-effective Program (SUN UP) was created scientists arise out of long-standing collaborations. SUN UP was created to facilitate these interactions of a young man working in a laboratory setting with equipment. The goal of SUN UP is to increase the

Global and National Prominent Universities: Internationalization, Competitiveness and the Role of the State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horta, Hugo

2009-01-01

This article provides a characterization of the internationalization of "global" European universities and discusses the role of the State in promoting greater internationalization and competitiveness levels of prominent national universities. The analysis supports previous arguments stating that global ranking of universities is…

The Supervisory Role of the National Universities Commission and the Management of Universities in the South-South Zone of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okoroma, N. S.

2007-01-01

Issues such as financial autonomy, academic autonomy and administrative autonomy are crucial to the effective management of university education globally. For many years Nigerian universities have complained of being impeded in these areas because of the supervisory role of the National Universities Commission (NUC) which tend to encroach on their…

75 FR 56459 - National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, 2010

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-15

... America A Proclamation Early in our Nation's history, higher education was not possible for most African... National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, we honor these pillars of higher education in... engines of economic growth and community service and will continue to play a vital role in helping America...

Engines of Inequality: Diminishing Equity in the Nation's Premier Public Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerald, Danette; Haycock, Kati

2006-01-01

The nation's 50 flagship universities serve disproportionately fewer low-income and minority students than in the past, according to this fifth report in the Education Trust's series on college results. Students in the entering and graduating classes at these schools look less and less like the state populations those universities were created to…

Development of a Commercial Prototype of the Autonomous Pathogen Detection System Final Report CRADA No. TC-02077-04

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dzenitis, J. M.; Haigh, P.

This was a collaborative effort between The Regents of the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and GE Ion Track, Inc. (GEIT) to develop a commercial prototype of the Autonomous Pathogen Detection System (APDS), an instrument that monitors the air for all three biological threat agents (bacteria, viruses and toxins). This was originally a one year CRADA project, with the cost of the work at LLNL being funded by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of National Laboratories. The original project consisted of five major tasks and deliverables. The CRADA was then amended, converting the CRADA from amore » programmatically funded CRADA to a funds-in CRADA, extending the project for an additional 14 months, and adding four new tasks and deliverable to the project.« less

78 FR 32241 - Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors; Notice of Closed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-29

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors; Notice of Closed Meeting AGENCY: National Intelligence University, Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice of closed meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the...

Explaining Differences in Subjective Well-Being Across 33 Nations Using Multilevel Models: Universal Personality, Cultural Relativity, and National Income.

PubMed

Cheng, Cecilia; Cheung, Mike W-L; Montasem, Alex

2016-02-01

This multinational study simultaneously tested three prominent hypotheses--universal disposition, cultural relativity, and livability--that explained differences in subjective well-being across nations. We performed multilevel structural equation modeling to examine the hypothesized relationships at both individual and cultural levels in 33 nations. Participants were 6,753 university students (2,215 men; 4,403 women; 135 did not specify), and the average age of the entire sample was 20.97 years (SD = 2.39). Both individual- and cultural-level analyses supported the universal disposition and cultural relativity hypotheses by revealing significant associations of subjective well-being with Extraversion, Neuroticism, and independent self-construal. In addition, interdependent self-construal was positively related to life satisfaction at the individual level only, whereas aggregated negative affect was positively linked with aggregate levels of Extraversion and interdependent self-construal at the cultural level only. Consistent with the livability hypothesis, gross national income (GNI) was related to aggregate levels of negative affect and life satisfaction. There was also a quadratic relationship between GNI and aggregated positive affect. Our findings reveal that universal disposition, cultural self-construal, and national income can elucidate differences in subjective well-being, but the multilevel analyses advance the literature by yielding new findings that cannot be identified in studies using individual-level analyses alone. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Brain Circuitry Supporting Multi-Organ Autonomic Outflow in Response to Nausea.

PubMed

Sclocco, Roberta; Kim, Jieun; Garcia, Ronald G; Sheehan, James D; Beissner, Florian; Bianchi, Anna M; Cerutti, Sergio; Kuo, Braden; Barbieri, Riccardo; Napadow, Vitaly

2016-02-01

While autonomic outflow is an important co-factor of nausea physiology, central control of this outflow is poorly understood. We evaluated sympathetic (skin conductance level) and cardiovagal (high-frequency heart rate variability) modulation, collected synchronously with functional MRI (fMRI) data during nauseogenic visual stimulation aimed to induce vection in susceptible individuals. Autonomic data guided analysis of neuroimaging data, using a stimulus-based (analysis windows set by visual stimulation protocol) and percept-based (windows set by subjects' ratings) approach. Increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic modulation was associated with robust and anti-correlated brain activity in response to nausea. Specifically, greater autonomic response was associated with reduced fMRI signal in brain regions such as the insula, suggesting an inhibitory relationship with premotor brainstem nuclei. Interestingly, some sympathetic/parasympathetic specificity was noted. Activity in default mode network and visual motion areas was anti-correlated with parasympathetic outflow at peak nausea. In contrast, lateral prefrontal cortical activity was anti-correlated with sympathetic outflow during recovery, soon after cessation of nauseogenic stimulation. These results suggest divergent central autonomic control for sympathetic and parasympathetic response to nausea. Autonomic outflow and the central autonomic network underlying ANS response to nausea may be an important determinant of overall nausea intensity and, ultimately, a potential therapeutic target. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

76 FR 14950 - Cancellation of Open Meeting of the National Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-18

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Cancellation of Open Meeting of the National Defense... cancellation of an open meeting. SUMMARY: The Department of Defense, National Defense University, announced an open meeting of the National Defense University Board of Visitors on January 10, 2011 (76 FR 1408). The...

Autonomous Space Processor for Orbital Debris (ASPOD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramohalli, Kumar; Mitchell, Dominique; Taft, Brett

1992-01-01

A project in the Advanced Design Program at the University of Arizona is described. The project is named the Autonomous Space Processor for Orbital Debris (ASPOD) and is a Universities Space Research Association (USRA) sponsored design project. The development of ASPOD and the students' abilities in designing and building a prototype spacecraft are the ultimate goals of this project. This year's focus entailed the development of a secondary robotic arm and end-effector to work in tandem with an existent arm in the removal of orbital debris. The new arm features the introduction of composite materials and a linear drive system, thus producing a light-weight and more accurate prototype. The main characteristic of the end-effector design is that it incorporates all of the motors and gearing internally, thus not subjecting them to the harsh space environment. Furthermore, the arm and the end-effector are automated by a control system with positional feedback. This system is composed of magnetic and optical encoders connected to a 486 PC via two servo-motor controller cards. Programming a series of basic routines and sub-routines allowed the ASPOD prototype to become more autonomous. The new system is expected to perform specified tasks with a positional accuracy of 0.5 cm.

Autonomous Sonar Classification Using Expert Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

34Multisensor Integration and Fusion in Intelligent System," ZEEE Tmnsactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, vol. 19 no. 5, September/Octciber...34 University of California Santa Barbara Department of Computer Science Technical Report TRCS89-06, February 1989. ZEEE , vol. 71 no. 7, July 1983, pp. 872...AutonomousUnderwater Vehicles" , Proceedingsof the ZEEE Oceanic Engineering Society Conference A W 92, Washington DC, June 1992. Corkill, Daniel, "BlackboardSystems," AIErpert, vol. 6 no. 9, September 1991, pp. 40-47. 559

78 FR 57623 - Notification of an Open Meeting of the National Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-19

... discussion on accreditation compliance, organizational management, strategic planning, resource management... Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV) AGENCY: National Defense University, DoD. ACTION: Notice of... following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the National Defense University Board of Visitors (BOV) will...

Collaborating with Autonomous Agents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Cross, Charles D.; Fan, Henry; Hempley, Lucas E.; Motter, Mark A.; Neilan, James H.; Qualls, Garry D.; Rothhaar, Paul M.; Tran, Loc D.; Allen, B. Danette

2015-01-01

With the anticipated increase of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) entering into the National Airspace System, it is highly likely that vehicle operators will be teaming with fleets of small autonomous vehicles. The small vehicles may consist of sUAS, which are 55 pounds or less that typically will y at altitudes 400 feet and below, and small ground vehicles typically operating in buildings or defined small campuses. Typically, the vehicle operators are not concerned with manual control of the vehicle; instead they are concerned with the overall mission. In order for this vision of high-level mission operators working with fleets of vehicles to come to fruition, many human factors related challenges must be investigated and solved. First, the interface between the human operator and the autonomous agent must be at a level that the operator needs and the agents can understand. This paper details the natural language human factors e orts that NASA Langley's Autonomy Incubator is focusing on. In particular these e orts focus on allowing the operator to interact with the system using speech and gestures rather than a mouse and keyboard. With this ability of the system to understand both speech and gestures, operators not familiar with the vehicle dynamics will be able to easily plan, initiate, and change missions using a language familiar to them rather than having to learn and converse in the vehicle's language. This will foster better teaming between the operator and the autonomous agent which will help lower workload, increase situation awareness, and improve performance of the system as a whole.

Invariant Functions, Symmetries and Primary Branch Solutions of First Order Autonomous Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lou, Sen-Yue; Yao, Ruo-Xia

2017-07-01

An invariant function (IF) is defined as a multiplier of a symmetry that means a symmetry multiplied by an IF is still a symmetry. Primary branch solutions of arbitrary first order scalar systems can be obtained by means of the IF and its related symmetry approach. Especially, one recursion operator and some sets of infinitely many high order symmetries are also explicitly given for arbitrary (1+1)-dimensional first order autonomous systems. Because of the intrusion of the arbitrary function, various implicit special exact solutions can be found by fixing the arbitrary functions and selecting different seed solutions. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundations of China under Grant Nos. 11435005, 11471004, 11175092, and 11205092, Shanghai Knowledge Service Platform for Trustworthy Internet of Things No. ZF1213 and K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University

Autonomous Space Shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siders, Jeffrey A.; Smith, Robert H.

2004-01-01

The continued assembly and operation of the International Space Station (ISS) is the cornerstone within NASA's overall Strategic P an. As indicated in NASA's Integrated Space Transportation Plan (ISTP), the International Space Station requires Shuttle to fly through at least the middle of the next decade to complete assembly of the Station, provide crew transport, and to provide heavy lift up and down mass capability. The ISTP reflects a tight coupling among the Station, Shuttle, and OSP programs to support our Nation's space goal . While the Shuttle is a critical component of this ISTP, there is a new emphasis for the need to achieve greater efficiency and safety in transporting crews to and from the Space Station. This need is being addressed through the Orbital Space Plane (OSP) Program. However, the OSP is being designed to "complement" the Shuttle as the primary means for crew transfer, and will not replace all the Shuttle's capabilities. The unique heavy lift capabilities of the Space Shuttle is essential for both ISS, as well as other potential missions extending beyond low Earth orbit. One concept under discussion to better fulfill this role of a heavy lift carrier, is the transformation of the Shuttle to an "un-piloted" autonomous system. This concept would eliminate the loss of crew risk, while providing a substantial increase in payload to orbit capability. Using the guidelines reflected in the NASA ISTP, the autonomous Shuttle a simplified concept of operations can be described as; "a re-supply of cargo to the ISS through the use of an un-piloted Shuttle vehicle from launch through landing". Although this is the primary mission profile, the other major consideration in developing an autonomous Shuttle is maintaining a crew transportation capability to ISS as an assured human access to space capability.

Drinking water quality in a Mexico city university community: perception and preferences.

PubMed

Espinosa-García, Ana C; Díaz-Ávalos, Carlos; González-Villarreal, Fernando J; Val-Segura, Rafael; Malvaez-Orozco, Velvet; Mazari-Hiriart, Marisa

2015-03-01

A transversal study was conducted at the University City campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, with the goal of estimating the university community preference for drinking either tap water or bottled water and the reasons for their selection. A representative sample of three university community subpopulations (students, workers/administrative staff, and academic personnel) were interviewed with respect to their water consumption habits. The results showed that 75% of the university community drinks only bottled water and that the consumption of tap water is low. The interviewees responded that the main reason for this preference is the organoleptic features of tap water independent of quality. In general, the participants in this study do not trust the quality of the tap water, which could be caused by the facilities that distribute bottled water encouraging a general disinterest in learning about the origin and management of the tap water that is distributed on campus.

INL Autonomous Navigation System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2005-03-30

The INL Autonomous Navigation System provides instructions for autonomously navigating a robot. The system permits high-speed autonomous navigation including obstacle avoidance, waypoing navigation and path planning in both indoor and outdoor environments.

The Research of the Crisis Pre-Warning Management System under the Particularity of Nationalities Universities and Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Hui

2009-01-01

The nationalities universities and colleges set up the crisis pre-warning management system, not only related to the management of our nationalities universities and colleges and their growth, but also related to the country's national unity plan in some way. However, because of minority students in the particularity of the national cultural…

Autonomic Function in Infancy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Nathan A.; Fitzgerald, Hiram E.

1990-01-01

Reviews research that uses autonomic responses of human infants as dependent measures. Focuses on the history of research on the autonomic nervous system, measurement issues, and autonomic correlates of infant behavior and systems. (RJC)

Assessing an Institutional Response of Universities to HIV/AIDS Epidemic: A Case of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nom, Ambe-Uva Terhemba

2007-01-01

Universities have come under serious attack because of their lackluster response to HIV/AIDS. The article endevours--from an institutional perspective--to what extent National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has responded to this challenge. This is done by first, highlighting NOUN basic structures that position it to respond better to the…

Strategies for Financing Universal Basic Education for Sustainable National Development in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdullahi, N. J. K.; Abdulkareem, A. Y.

2017-01-01

This study investigated strategies of financing universal basic education for sustainable national development by school managers in North-Central Zone, Nigeria. Specifically the purpose was to determine the relationship between commercial based income and sustainable national development as well as to examine the relationship between agricultural…

Flocking algorithm for autonomous flying robots.

PubMed

Virágh, Csaba; Vásárhelyi, Gábor; Tarcai, Norbert; Szörényi, Tamás; Somorjai, Gergő; Nepusz, Tamás; Vicsek, Tamás

2014-06-01

Animal swarms displaying a variety of typical flocking patterns would not exist without the underlying safe, optimal and stable dynamics of the individuals. The emergence of these universal patterns can be efficiently reconstructed with agent-based models. If we want to reproduce these patterns with artificial systems, such as autonomous aerial robots, agent-based models can also be used in their control algorithms. However, finding the proper algorithms and thus understanding the essential characteristics of the emergent collective behaviour requires thorough and realistic modeling of the robot and also the environment. In this paper, we first present an abstract mathematical model of an autonomous flying robot. The model takes into account several realistic features, such as time delay and locality of communication, inaccuracy of the on-board sensors and inertial effects. We present two decentralized control algorithms. One is based on a simple self-propelled flocking model of animal collective motion, the other is a collective target tracking algorithm. Both algorithms contain a viscous friction-like term, which aligns the velocities of neighbouring agents parallel to each other. We show that this term can be essential for reducing the inherent instabilities of such a noisy and delayed realistic system. We discuss simulation results on the stability of the control algorithms, and perform real experiments to show the applicability of the algorithms on a group of autonomous quadcopters. In our case, bio-inspiration works in two ways. On the one hand, the whole idea of trying to build and control a swarm of robots comes from the observation that birds tend to flock to optimize their behaviour as a group. On the other hand, by using a realistic simulation framework and studying the group behaviour of autonomous robots we can learn about the major factors influencing the flight of bird flocks.

[Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Farmland Soil in Du'an Autonomous County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China].

PubMed

Wu, Yang; Yang, Jun; Zhou, Xiao-yong; Lei, Mei; Gao, Ding; Qiao, Peng-wei; Du, Guo-dong

2015-08-01

For a comprehensive understanding of the pollution characteristics and ecological risk of heavy metals of farmland soil in Du'an Autonomous County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, this study evaluated the cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu) and lead ( Pb) pollution situation using the single factor index, the Nemerow pollution index and the Hakanson ecological risk index. The results showed that heavy-metal pollution of farmland soil in Du'an County was serious. 74.6% of the soil samples had heavy metals concentrations higher than the Grade II of National Soil Environmental Quality Standard (GB 15618-1995). The over standard rates of Cd, As, Ni, Zn, Cr, Sb, Cu, Pb were 70.6%, 42.9%, 34.9%, 19.8%, 19.6%, 2.94%, 1.59%, 0.79%, respectively. Cd and As were the main contaminants in Du'an County, the pollution was far more serious than those of the national and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In terms of the ecological risk, heavy metals of farmland soil in Du'an County showed a "middle" ecological risk, with Cd accounting for 88% of the total ecological risk. The north-west of Jiudu Town and the zone between Bao'an Town and Dongmiao Town were two areas with high ecological risk in Du'an County. The contamination of farmland soils in Du'an County was caused by two main sources, whereas the pollution of As and Sb of farmland soils near Diaojiang River was mainly caused by the upstream mining industry.

Frederick National Laboratory and Georgetown University Launch Research and Education Collaboration | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

FREDERICK, Md. -- A new collaboration established between Georgetown University and the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research aims to expand both institutions’ research and training missions in the biomedical sciences. Representatives f

Secure Autonomous Automated Scheduling (SAAS). Rev. 1.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walke, Jon G.; Dikeman, Larry; Sage, Stephen P.; Miller, Eric M.

2010-01-01

This report describes network-centric operations, where a virtual mission operations center autonomously receives sensor triggers, and schedules space and ground assets using Internet-based technologies and service-oriented architectures. For proof-of-concept purposes, sensor triggers are received from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to determine targets for space-based sensors. The Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) Disaster Monitoring Constellation satellite, the UK-DMC, is used as the space-based sensor. The UK-DMC's availability is determined via machine-to-machine communications using SSTL's mission planning system. Access to/from the UK-DMC for tasking and sensor data is via SSTL's and Universal Space Network's (USN) ground assets. The availability and scheduling of USN's assets can also be performed autonomously via machine-to-machine communications. All communication, both on the ground and between ground and space, uses open Internet standards

Asteroid Exploration with Autonomic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walt; Rash, James; Rouff, Christopher; Hinchey, Mike

2004-01-01

NASA is studying advanced technologies for a future robotic exploration mission to the asteroid belt. The prospective ANTS (Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm) mission comprises autonomous agents including worker agents (small spacecra3) designed to cooperate in asteroid exploration under the overall authoriq of at least one ruler agent (a larger spacecraft) whose goal is to cause science data to be returned to Earth. The ANTS team (ruler plus workers and messenger agents), but not necessarily any individual on the team, will exhibit behaviors that qualify it as an autonomic system, where an autonomic system is defined as a system that self-reconfigures, self-optimizes, self-heals, and self-protects. Autonomic system concepts lead naturally to realistic, scalable architectures rich in capabilities and behaviors. In-depth consideration of a major mission like ANTS in terms of autonomic systems brings new insights into alternative definitions of autonomic behavior. This paper gives an overview of the ANTS mission and discusses the autonomic properties of the mission.

Autonomic dysfunction assessed by EZSCAN and subclinical atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Sun, Jichao; Zhang, Yinfei; Xu, Baihui; Lv, Xiaofei; Ding, Lin; Chen, Ying; Sun, Wanwan; Lu, Jieli; Xu, Min; Bi, Yufang; Ning, Guang

2014-09-01

The present study aimed to explore the association between autonomic dysfunction and measurements of atherosclerosis in a middle-aged and elderly Chinese population. A population-based cross-sectional study was performed in Shanghai, China, from March to August 2010, with 5076 participants included in the analysis. Autonomic function was assessed by a novel EZSCAN test based on sudomotor function analysis. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was measured using B-mode ultrasonography and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) was measured using an autonomic device. Participants were divided into three groups based on EZSCAN values: Group 1: EZSCAN 0-24; Group 2, EZSCAN 25-49; and Group 3, EZSCAN 50-100. These groups denoted autonomic dysfunction risk groups as follows: no risk, moderate risk and high risk, respectively. The prevalence of elevated CIMT and ba-PWV increased markedly with increasing EZSCAN values (elevated CIMT 7.4%, 17.5%, and 29.7%, elevated ba-PWV 3.2%, 19.7%, and 36.5%, in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively; both Ptrend < 0.0001). Logistic regressions revealed that EZSCAN values ≥50 were associated with a non-significantly higher risk of elevated CIMT (odds ratio [OR] = 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98-2.07) and a significantly higher risk of elevated ba-PWV (OR = 2.16; 95% CI 1.25-3.71) compared with EZSCAN values <25, after controlling for conventional risk factors. A higher EZSCAN value (≥50), an index of high autonomic dysfunction risk, was associated with an increased risk of elevated ba-PWV and CIMT. Such associations were partially explained by traditional atherosclerotic risk factors. © 2014 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

[Learning strategies of autonomous medical students].

PubMed

Márquez U, Carolina; Fasce H, Eduardo; Ortega B, Javiera; Bustamante D, Carolina; Pérez V, Cristhian; Ibáñez G, Pilar; Ortiz M, Liliana; Espinoza P, Camila; Bastías V, Nancy

2015-12-01

Understanding how autonomous students are capable of regulating their own learning process is essential to develop self-directed teaching methods. To understand how self-directed medical students approach learning in medical schools at University of Concepción, Chile. A qualitative and descriptive study, performed according to Grounded Theory guidelines, following Strauss & Corbin was performed. Twenty medical students were selected by the maximum variation sampling method. The data collection technique was carried out by a semi-structured thematic interview. Students were interviewed by researchers after an informed consent procedure. Data were analyzed by the open coding method using Atlas-ti 7.5.2 software. Self-directed learners were characterized by being good planners and managing their time correctly. Students performed a diligent selection of contents to study based on reliable literature sources, theoretical relevance and type of evaluation. They also emphasized the discussion of clinical cases, where theoretical contents can be applied. This modality allows them to gain a global view of theoretical contents, to verbalize knowledge and to obtain a learning feedback. The learning process of autonomous students is intentional and planned.

Nation's Research Universities Are Offered Hope of Fatter Budgets--At a Price

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basken, Paul

2012-01-01

A two-year Congressionally mandated assessment of financial threats to the nation's research universities ended on Thursday with the offer of a grand bargain: Cut costs and form more partnerships with communities and industry, and expect increased revenues and fewer regulations. A report on the study, coordinated by the National Research Council…

National Computational Infrastructure for Lattice Gauge Theory SciDAC-2 Closeout Report Indiana University Component

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gottlieb, Steven Arthur; DeTar, Carleton; Tousaint, Doug

This is the closeout report for the Indiana University portion of the National Computational Infrastructure for Lattice Gauge Theory project supported by the United States Department of Energy under the SciDAC program. It includes information about activities at Indian University, the University of Arizona, and the University of Utah, as those three universities coordinated their activities.

An Investigation of Undergraduate Students' Beliefs about Autonomous Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orawiwatnakul, Wiwat; Wichadee, Saovapa

2017-01-01

The concept of learner autonomy is now playing an important role in the language learning field. An emphasis is put on the new form of learning which enables learners to direct their own learning. This study aimed to examine how undergraduate students believed about autonomous language learning in a university setting and to find out whether some…

Autonomous and Autonomic Systems: A Paradigm for Future Space Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walter F.; Hinchey, Michael G.; Rash, James L.; Rouff, Christopher A.

2004-01-01

NASA increasingly will rely on autonomous systems concepts, not only in the mission control centers on the ground, but also on spacecraft and on rovers and other assets on extraterrestrial bodies. Automomy enables not only reduced operations costs, But also adaptable goal-driven functionality of mission systems. Space missions lacking autonomy will be unable to achieve the full range of advanced mission objectives, given that human control under dynamic environmental conditions will not be feasible due, in part, to the unavoidably high signal propagation latency and constrained data rates of mission communications links. While autonomy cost-effectively supports accomplishment of mission goals, autonomicity supports survivability of remote mission assets, especially when human tending is not feasible. Autonomic system properties (which ensure self-configuring, self-optimizing self-healing, and self-protecting behavior) conceptually may enable space missions of a higher order into any previously flown. Analysis of two NASA agent-based systems previously prototyped, and of a proposed future mission involving numerous cooperating spacecraft, illustrates how autonomous and autonomic system concepts may be brought to bear on future space missions.

Autonomy support environment and autonomous motivation on nursing student academic performance: An exploratory analysis.

PubMed

Bronson, Sevilla

2016-09-01

In the U.S., enrollment and graduation rates of baccalaureate nursing programs are slowly increasing. Rigorous program requirements can be overwhelming for students who may have difficulty adjusting to curriculum demands. Faculty who help students to adjust may also build a supportive learning environment that promotes autonomous motivation, improves engagement, and strengthens academic performance. Students may also experience well-being and autonomy when they feel supported and when their needs are met. The aim of this study was to investigate nursing students' autonomy support environments and autonomous motivation (measured as spirituality), and the influence on engagement and academic performance. A cross-sectional correlational design using a convenience sample of 150 nursing students in the last year of a baccalaureate nursing program was used. Participants were recruited from four universities in Florida and data collection occurred over three months. All participants were enrolled in the last year of their baccalaureate nursing program with an average Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.36. The learning climate alone was moderately supportive of student motivation (M=70.60, SD=18.99). No significant relationship between the autonomy support environment and autonomous motivation (r=.034, p=.676) was found. Correlations and regression analysis of autonomous motivation and work engagement were significant (F (2, 147)=28.28, p=.000). Comparison of participant groups from each university independently revealed supportive learning environments. Strategies to promote autonomy must be developed and implemented as a means of ensuring a favorable learning environment. Future research may include the investigation of spirituality and autonomous motivation as two separate variables. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Great Leap Forward to Excellence in Research at Seoul National University, 1994-2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Ki-Seok

2007-01-01

This paper addresses to the question of how to empower research competence of a kind which would lead a peripheral university like SNU to becoming a world-class university. There have been noticeable achievements in building competitive, first class universities in many developing nations, particularly in Asian countries. This paper will examine…

Combating HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Nigeria: Responses from National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambe-Uva, Terhemba Nom

2007-01-01

Universities have come under serious attack because of their lackluster response to HIV/AIDS. This article examines the response of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and its strategic responses in combating HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is achieved by examining NOUN's basic structures that position the University to respond to the epidemic; and…

Research on the strategies to optimize traditional Korean nationality village residential environment -- Taking the transformation of Chatiao Village in Antu County, Yanbian Korean Nationality Autonomous Prefecture as example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaoyang, Sun; Xin, Sui; Mo, Li; Yongqiang, Wang

2017-04-01

This research is aimed to make an in-depth research into the strategies and methods to protect and develop the residential environment in the villages and towns with minority group characteristics. In the research on the construction mode and optimization strategy of the residential environment of the original residents in Chatiao Village, Antu County, Korean Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, the contents of architecture and planning were used comprehensively with the philosophy of green design, sociology and economics being combined simultaneously to drive the humanistic and economic development in the minority areas at the same time of providing new employment opportunities and a comfortable residential environment for people, thus realizing the complete development of the characteristic villages in Chinese minority areas.

Development of a semi-autonomous service robot with telerobotic capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, J. E.; White, D. R.

1987-01-01

The importance to the United States of semi-autonomous systems for application to a large number of manufacturing and service processes is very clear. Two principal reasons emerge as the primary driving forces for development of such systems: enhanced national productivity and operation in environments whch are hazardous to humans. Completely autonomous systems may not currently be economically feasible. However, autonomous systems that operate in a limited operation domain or that are supervised by humans are within the technology capability of this decade and will likely provide reasonable return on investment. The two research and development efforts of autonomy and telerobotics are distinctly different, yet interconnected. The first addresses the communication of an intelligent electronic system with a robot while the second requires human communication and ergonomic consideration. Discussed here are work in robotic control, human/robot team implementation, expert system robot operation, and sensor development by the American Welding Institute, MTS Systems Corporation, and the Colorado School of Mines--Center for Welding Research.

National and Gender Measurement Invariance of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS): A 10-Nation Study With University Students.

PubMed

Crocetti, Elisabetta; Cieciuch, Jan; Gao, Cheng-Hai; Klimstra, Theo; Lin, Ching-Ling; Matos, Paula Mena; Morsünbül, Ümit; Negru, Oana; Sugimura, Kazumi; Zimmermann, Grégoire; Meeus, Wim

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS), a self-report measure aimed at assessing identity processes of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment. We tested its factor structure in university students from a large array of cultural contexts, including 10 nations located in Europe (i.e., Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland), Middle East (i.e., Turkey), and Asia (i.e., China, Japan, and Taiwan). Furthermore, we tested national and gender measurement invariance. Participants were 6,118 (63.2% females) university students aged from 18 to 25 years (Mage = 20.91 years). Results indicated that the three-factor structure of the U-MICS fitted well in the total sample, in each national group, and in gender groups. Furthermore, national and gender measurement invariance were established. Thus, the U-MICS can be fruitfully applied to study identity in university students from various Western and non-Western contexts. © The Author(s) 2015.

Processing United Nations Documents in the University of Michigan Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stolper, Gertrude

This guide provides detailed instructions for recording documents in the United Nations (UN) card catalog which provides access to the UN depository collection in the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library at the University of Michigan. Procedures for handling documents when they are received include stamping, counting, and sorting into five categories:…

Autonomic Dysfunction Predicts Clinical Outcomes After Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Prospective Observational Study.

PubMed

Xiong, Li; Tian, Ge; Leung, Howan; Soo, Yannie O Y; Chen, Xiangyan; Ip, Vincent H L; Mok, Vincent C T; Chu, Winnie C W; Wong, Ka Sing; Leung, Thomas W H

2018-01-01

Central autonomic dysfunction increases stroke morbidity and mortality. We aimed to investigate whether poststroke autonomic dysfunction graded by Ewing battery can predict clinical outcome. In this prospective observational study, we assessed autonomic function of ischemic stroke patients within 7 days from symptom onset by Ewing battery. On the basis of the magnitude of autonomic dysfunction, we stratified patients into significant (definite, severe, or atypical) or minor (normal or early) autonomic function impairment groups and correlated the impairment with the 3-month modified Rankin Scale score (good outcome: modified Rankin Scale score 0≈2; poor outcome: modified Rankin Scale score 3≈6). Among the 150 patients enrolled (mean age, 66.4±9.9 years; 70.7% males), minor autonomic dysfunction was identified in 36 patients (24.0%), and significant autonomic dysfunction was identified in 114 patients (76.0%) based on Ewing battery. In 3 months, a poor functional outcome was found in 32.5% of significant group patients compared with 13.9% in the minor group ( P =0.031). Crude odds ratios of the magnitude of autonomic dysfunction and 3-month unfavorable functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke were 2.979 (95% confidence interval, 1.071-8.284; P =0.036). After adjusting for confounding variables with statistical significance between the 2 functional outcome subgroups identified in univariate analysis (including sex and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission), the magnitude of autonomic dysfunction still independently predicted an unfavorable outcome, with an odds ratio of 3.263 (95% confidence interval, 1.141-9.335; P =0.027). Autonomic dysfunction gauged by Ewing battery predicts poor functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Overview of the Autonomic Nervous System

MedlinePlus

... be reversible or progressive. Anatomy of the autonomic nervous system The autonomic nervous system is the part of ... organs they connect with. Function of the autonomic nervous system The autonomic nervous system controls internal body processes ...

Utilizing Health Information Technology to Support Universal Healthcare Delivery: Experience of a National Healthcare System.

PubMed

Syed-Abdul, Shabbir; Hsu, Min-Huei; Iqbal, Usman; Scholl, Jeremiah; Huang, Chih-Wei; Nguyen, Phung Anh; Lee, Peisan; García-Romero, Maria Teresa; Li, Yu-Chuan Jack; Jian, Wen-Shan

2015-09-01

Recent discussions have focused on using health information technology (HIT) to support goals related to universal healthcare delivery. These discussions have generally not reflected on the experience of countries with a large amount of experience using HIT to support universal healthcare on a national level. HIT was compared globally by using data from the Ministry of the Interior, Republic of China (Taiwan). Taiwan has been providing universal healthcare since 1995 and began to strategically implement HIT on a national level at that time. Today the national-level HIT system is more extensive in Taiwan than in many other countries and is used to aid administration, clinical care, and public health. The experience of Taiwan thus can provide an illustration of how HIT can be used to support universal healthcare delivery. In this article we present an overview of some key historical developments and successes in the adoption of HIT in Taiwan over a 17-year period, as well as some more recent developments. We use this experience to offer some strategic perspectives on how it can aid in the adoption of large-scale HIT systems and on how HIT can be used to support universal healthcare delivery.

Towards autonomous fuzzy control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shenoi, Sujeet; Ramer, Arthur

1993-01-01

The efficient implementation of on-line adaptation in real time is an important research problem in fuzzy control. The goal is to develop autonomous self-organizing controllers employing system-independent control meta-knowledge which enables them to adjust their control policies depending on the systems they control and the environments in which they operate. An autonomous fuzzy controller would continuously observe system behavior while implementing its control actions and would use the outcomes of these actions to refine its control policy. It could be designed to lie dormant when its control actions give rise to adequate performance characteristics but could rapidly and autonomously initiate real-time adaptation whenever its performance degrades. Such an autonomous fuzzy controller would have immense practical value. It could accommodate individual variations in system characteristics and also compensate for degradations in system characteristics caused by wear and tear. It could also potentially deal with black-box systems and control scenarios. On-going research in autonomous fuzzy control is reported. The ultimate research objective is to develop robust and relatively inexpensive autonomous fuzzy control hardware suitable for use in real time environments.

Aviation human factors research in U.S. universities: Potential contributions to national needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Key Dismukes, R.

1994-01-01

Univesity research can make vital contributions to national needs in aviation human factors (AHF). This article examines the types of expertise and facilities available in universities and explores how university capabilities complement the work of government laboratories. The AHF infrastructure is discussed and compared to other fields of applied research. Policy and funding issues are also examined. This study is based on a survey conducted by the author, which included site visits to several universities, telephone interviews with faculty members at other universities, and a search of the AHF research literature.

New Concepts and Perspectives on Micro-Rotorcraft and Small Autonomous Rotary-Wing Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Larry A.; Aiken, E. W.; Johnson, J. L.; Demblewski, R.; Andrews, J.; Aiken, Irwin W. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A key part of the strategic vision for rotorcraft research as identified by senior technologists within the Army/NASA Rotorcraft Division at NASA Ames Research Center is the development and use of small autonomous rotorcraft. Small autonomous rotorcraft are defined for the purposes of this paper to be a class of vehicles that range in size from rotary-wing micro air vehicles (MAVs) to larger, more conventionally sized, rotorcraft uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) - i.e. vehicle gross weights ranging from hundreds of grams to thousands of kilograms. The development of small autonomous rotorcraft represents both a technology challenge and a potential new vehicle class that will have substantial societal impact for: national security, personal transport, planetary science, and public service.

The Impact of Online Autonomous Learning on EFL Students' Reading Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shang, Hui-Fang; Chen, Yen-Yu

2018-01-01

With the rapid growth of technology, many language acquisition approaches have been added to computer-assisted language learning applications. Thus, this study investigated the impact of online autonomous learning on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students' reading ability. Sixty-five students from two reading classes at One University in…

Adaptive Perception for Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-02

AD-A282 780 Adaptive Perception for Autonomous Vehicles Alonzo Kelly CMU-RI-TR-94-1 8 D IC SELECTF - pUG01 �j ~G U The Robotics Inttt ’I 94-2i...way of doing range image perception. Adaptive Perception for Autonomous Vehicles page 1. LZ Commentary The throughput problem of autonomous navigaticn...idea will be applied to the problem of terrain mapping in outdoor rough terrain. Adaptive Perception for Autonomous Vehicles page 2. 2. Analytical

Real-Time Modeling of Cross-Body Flow for Torpedo Tube Recovery of the Phoenix Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-03-01

34Numerical Recipes in C," second edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge England, 1992. Marco, David , "Autonomous Control of Underwater...in the viewer. -202- LIST OF REFERENCES Ames, Andrea L., Nadeau, David R., Moreland, John L., VRML 2.0 Sourcebook, Second edition, John Wiley...McGhee, Bob, "The Phoenix Autonomous Underwater Vehicle," AI-Based Mobile Robots, editors David Kortenkamp, Pete Bonasso and Robin Murphy, MJT/AAAI

Seismology at the Australian National University; an interview with Anton L. Hales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spall, H.

1980-01-01

Dr. Anton L. Hales is a leading seismologist who has just retired as Director of the Research School of Earth Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU), Canberra. Prior to that, he headed the Geosciences Division at the University of Texas at Dallas, and, before that, he was Director of the Bernard Price Institute of Geophysical Research at the University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, South Africa. he is about to step down as President of the International Geodynamics Commission. Dr. Hales' research has involved marine geophysics, the travel times of seismic waves, and the structure of the Earth's crust and upper mantle. 

Towards an Autonomic Cluster Management System (ACMS) with Reflex Autonomicity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walt; Hinchey, Mike; Sterritt, Roy

2005-01-01

Cluster computing, whereby a large number of simple processors or nodes are combined together to apparently function as a single powerful computer, has emerged as a research area in its own right. The approach offers a relatively inexpensive means of providing a fault-tolerant environment and achieving significant computational capabilities for high-performance computing applications. However, the task of manually managing and configuring a cluster quickly becomes daunting as the cluster grows in size. Autonomic computing, with its vision to provide self-management, can potentially solve many of the problems inherent in cluster management. We describe the development of a prototype Autonomic Cluster Management System (ACMS) that exploits autonomic properties in automating cluster management and its evolution to include reflex reactions via pulse monitoring.

Collaborative Framework for Designing a Sustainability Science Programme: Lessons Learned at the National Autonomous University of Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charli-Joseph, Lakshmi; Escalante, Ana E.; Eakin, Hallie; Solares, Ma. José; Mazari-Hiriart, Marisa; Nation, Marcia; Gómez-Priego, Paola; Pérez-Tejada, César A. Domínguez; Bojórquez-Tapia, Luis A.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The authors describe the challenges and opportunities associated with developing an interdisciplinary sustainability programme in an emerging economy and illustrate how these are addressed through the approach taken for the development of the first postgraduate programme (MSc and PhD) in sustainability science at the National Autonomous…

Conditions for Fully Autonomous Anticipation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collier, John

2006-06-01

Anticipation allows a system to adapt to conditions that have not yet come to be, either externally to the system or internally. Autonomous systems actively control the conditions of their own existence so as to increase their overall viability. This paper will first give minimal necessary and sufficient conditions for autonomous anticipation, followed by a taxonomy of autonomous anticipation. In more complex systems, there can be semi-autonomous subsystems that can anticipate and adapt on their own. Such subsystems can be integrated into a system's overall autonomy, typically with greater efficiency due to modularity and specialization of function. However, it is also possible that semi-autonomous subsystems can act against the viability of the overall system, and have their own functions that conflict with overall system functions.

National Faculty Salary Survey by Discipline and Rank in Private Colleges and Universities, 1985-86.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appalachian State Univ., Boone, NC.

Salary data for full-time faculty in 46 selected disciplines at 440 private colleges and universities are presented based on the 1985-86 National Faculty Salary Survey by Discipline and Rank in Private Colleges and Universities. Information was collected on salaries for 38,890 faculty members employed at 440 private colleges and universities.…

National Faculty Salary Survey by Discipline and Rank in State Colleges and Universities, 1985-86.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appalachian State Univ., Boone, NC.

Salary data for full-time faculty in 46 selected disciplines at 262 state colleges and universities are presented based on the 1985-86 National Faculty Salary Survey by Discipline and Rank in State Colleges and Universities. Information was collected on salaries for 63,623 faculty members employed at 262 state colleges and universities.…

National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN): A Historical Perspective and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambe-Uva, Terhemba Nom

2007-01-01

Distance education has become an important policy option for educational planners in developing countries. In the context of Nigeria, increasing population, growing national demand for education, dwindling financial resources, increasing fiscal constraints, and therefore narrowing of access to education led to the emergence of Open University in…

Interactive Radio Counseling in Indira Gandhi National Open University: A Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaudhary, Sohanvir S.; Bansal, Kiron

2000-01-01

Explains interactive radio as an effective tool for open and distance learning provided it is planned, designed, implemented, and monitored systematically. Describes the interactive radio counseling at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) that provides support to students who study print material and may attend weekend…

Establishment of a National Wind Energy Center at University of Houston

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Su Su

The DOE-supported project objectives are to: establish a national wind energy center (NWEC) at University of Houston and conduct research to address critical science and engineering issues for the development of future large MW-scale wind energy production systems, especially offshore wind turbines. The goals of the project are to: (1) establish a sound scientific/technical knowledge base of solutions to critical science and engineering issues for developing future MW-scale large wind energy production systems, (2) develop a state-of-the-art wind rotor blade research facility at the University of Houston, and (3) through multi-disciplinary research, introducing technology innovations on advanced wind-turbine materials, processing/manufacturingmore » technology, design and simulation, testing and reliability assessment methods related to future wind turbine systems for cost-effective production of offshore wind energy. To achieve the goals of the project, the following technical tasks were planned and executed during the period from April 15, 2010 to October 31, 2014 at the University of Houston: (1) Basic research on large offshore wind turbine systems (2) Applied research on innovative wind turbine rotors for large offshore wind energy systems (3) Integration of offshore wind-turbine design, advanced materials and manufacturing technologies (4) Integrity and reliability of large offshore wind turbine blades and scaled model testing (5) Education and training of graduate and undergraduate students and post- doctoral researchers (6) Development of a national offshore wind turbine blade research facility The research program addresses both basic science and engineering of current and future large wind turbine systems, especially offshore wind turbines, for MW-scale power generation. The results of the research advance current understanding of many important scientific issues and provide technical information for solving future large wind turbines with advanced

75 FR 48939 - National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory of Michigan State University; Notice of Decision on...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-12

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory of Michigan State University; Notice of Decision on Applications for Duty-Free Entry of Scientific... Cyclotron Laboratory of Michigan State University. Instrument: Radio Frequency Quadropole Accelerator (RFQ...

Autonomous Control Capabilities for Space Reactor Power Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Richard T.; Neal, John S.; Brittain, C. Ray; Mullens, James A.

2004-02-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Project Prometheus, the Nuclear Systems Program, is investigating a possible Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) mission, which would conduct in-depth studies of three of the moons of Jupiter by using a space reactor power system (SRPS) to provide energy for propulsion and spacecraft power for more than a decade. Terrestrial nuclear power plants rely upon varying degrees of direct human control and interaction for operations and maintenance over a forty to sixty year lifetime. In contrast, an SRPS is intended to provide continuous, remote, unattended operation for up to fifteen years with no maintenance. Uncertainties, rare events, degradation, and communications delays with Earth are challenges that SRPS control must accommodate. Autonomous control is needed to address these challenges and optimize the reactor control design. In this paper, we describe an autonomous control concept for generic SRPS designs. The formulation of an autonomous control concept, which includes identification of high-level functional requirements and generation of a research and development plan for enabling technologies, is among the technical activities that are being conducted under the U.S. Department of Energy's Space Reactor Technology Program in support of the NASA's Project Prometheus. The findings from this program are intended to contribute to the successful realization of the JIMO mission.

Enhancing the Autonomous Use of CALL: A New Curriculum Model in EFL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Karen; Craig, Hana

2013-01-01

This action research study evaluates the effectiveness of a CALL Learner Autonomy (CALL LA) course at a Japanese university. The "C course" blends face-to-face instruction and independent study in a CALL environment. It aims to enhance learners' autonomous use of CALL in the acquisition of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). In this…

Young people's experiences of managing Type 1 diabetes at university: a national study of UK university students.

PubMed

Kellett, J; Sampson, M; Swords, F; Murphy, H R; Clark, A; Howe, A; Price, C; Datta, V; Myint, K S

2018-04-23

Little is known about the challenges of transitioning from school to university for young people with Type 1 diabetes. In a national survey, we investigated the impact of entering and attending university on diabetes self-care in students with Type 1 diabetes in all UK universities. Some 1865 current UK university students aged 18-24 years with Type 1 diabetes, were invited to complete a structured questionnaire. The association between demographic variables and diabetes variables was assessed using logistic regression models. In total, 584 (31%) students from 64 hospitals and 37 university medical practices completed the questionnaire. Some 62% had maintained routine diabetes care with their home team, whereas 32% moved to the university provider. Since starting university, 63% reported harder diabetes management and 44% reported higher HbA 1c levels than before university. At university, 52% had frequent hypoglycaemia, 9.6% reported one or more episodes of severe hypoglycaemia and 26% experienced diabetes-related hospital admissions. Female students and those who changed healthcare provider were approximately twice as likely to report poor glycaemic control, emergency hospital admissions and frequent hypoglycaemia. Females were more likely than males to report stress [odds ratio (OR) 4.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.19-7.16], illness (OR 3.48, 95% CI 2.06-5.87) and weight management issues (OR 3.19, 95% CI 1.99-5.11) as barriers to self-care. Despite these difficulties, 91% of respondents never or rarely contacted university support services about their diabetes. The study quantifies the high level of risk experienced by students with Type 1 diabetes during the transition to university, in particular, female students and those moving to a new university healthcare provider. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Autonomous Soaring Flight Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Michael J.

2006-01-01

A viewgraph presentation on autonomous soaring flight results for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)'s is shown. The topics include: 1) Background; 2) Thermal Soaring Flight Results; 3) Autonomous Dolphin Soaring; and 4) Future Plans.

The Montana ALE (Autonomous Lunar Excavator) Systems Engineering Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hull, Bethanne J.

2012-01-01

On May 2 1-26, 20 12, the third annual NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition will be held at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This event brings together student teams from universities around the world to compete in an engineering challenge. Each team must design, build and operate a robotic excavator that can collect artificial lunar soil and deposit it at a target location. Montana State University, Bozeman, is one of the institutions selected to field a team this year. This paper will summarize the goals of MSU's lunar excavator project, known as the Autonomous Lunar Explorer (ALE), along with the engineering process that the MSU team is using to fulfill these goals, according to NASA's systems engineering guidelines.

Age Effect on Autonomic Cardiovascular Control in Pilots

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-08-01

Nantcheva**, M. Vukov *** *National Center of Hygiene, Medical Ecology and Nutrition 15 Dimitar Nestorov Blvd. 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria "**Military Medical...values and critique. Inter. Physiol. Behav. Sci. 1997, 3, of health risk compared with referents. 202-219. 14. Fluckiger L., Boivin J ., Quilliot D...during flight. Aviat. Space Chapman and Hall. 1991, 590 pp. Environ Med. 1998,4, 360-367. 4. Berntson G., Cacioppo J ., Quigley K. Autonomic 18. Hellman J

The Private Sector/University Technology Alliance: Making It Work. Proceedings of a Conference of the National Council of University Research Administrators (Dallas, Texas, September 4-7, 1984).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freise, Earl J., Ed.

The transfer of technology from U.S. research universities in cooperation with the private sector is addressed in proceedings of a National Council of University Research Administrators conference. The first discussion session, "New Technology from University Research and Development (R&D)," examines the university research…

University Leaders' Strategies in the Global Environment: A Comparative Study of Universitas Indonesia and the Australian National University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marginson, Simon; Sawir, Erlenawati

2006-01-01

In a global environment in which global, national and local nodes relate freely within common networks, all research universities must pursue strategies for building global capacity and facilitating cross-border staff and student movement and research collaboration. The study compares readings of the global environment, global and international…

Assessing University Library Print Book Collections and Deselection: A Case Study at the National University of Ireland Maynooth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

This article discusses an assessment and deselection project of the modern print book collections in the John Paul II Library, National University of Ireland Maynooth. Following a contextual introduction and literature review, the article outlines the methodology, presents and discusses the results, and concludes with lessons learned. Although…

Implementing Reflective Portfolios for Promoting Autonomous Learning among EFL College Students in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Ya-Fen

2010-01-01

This article depicts challenges for students and teachers involved in developing a reflective portfolio to promote autonomous learning in Taiwan. One hundred and one students in a Taiwan university completed their individual portfolio projects. A pre-course questionnaire, post-course self-evaluation, and the instructor's field notes were the data…

Nurturing Lifelong Learning in Communities through the National University of Lesotho: Prospects and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preece, Julia; Croome, David; Ntene, Mankatso; Ngozwana, Nomazulu

2011-01-01

This paper analyses one aspect of a pan-African action research project called ITMUA (Implementing the Third Mission of Universities in Africa). This particular paper draws on the data from that project to explore the National University of Lesotho's contribution to lifelong learning in its communities. It provides background information on the…

"Demi-Nationalism" in Higher Education: Women in Canadian and Australian Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tancred-Sheriff, Peta

1988-01-01

It is proposed that Canadian universities are "alien" to women because they are dominated by men, have a large proportion of faculty who are not Canadian citizens, and are underutilizing the talents of the female half of the nation's population. Comparisons are made between the Canadian and Australian situations. (MSE)

The Development of a Brief Measure of Learner Autonomy in University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macaskill, Ann; Taylor, Elissa

2010-01-01

A great deal of attention is paid to the requirement for university students to become autonomous learners. A review of the literature revealed a lack of relatively short psychometrically sound measures of autonomous learning despite its purported importance. This study aimed to develop a brief, psychometrically sound, measure of autonomous…

Development of a Commercially Viable, Modular Autonomous Robotic Systems for Converting any Vehicle to Autonomous Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parish, David W.; Grabbe, Robert D.; Marzwell, Neville I.

1994-01-01

A Modular Autonomous Robotic System (MARS), consisting of a modular autonomous vehicle control system that can be retrofit on to any vehicle to convert it to autonomous control and support a modular payload for multiple applications is being developed. The MARS design is scalable, reconfigurable, and cost effective due to the use of modern open system architecture design methodologies, including serial control bus technology to simplify system wiring and enhance scalability. The design is augmented with modular, object oriented (C++) software implementing a hierarchy of five levels of control including teleoperated, continuous guidepath following, periodic guidepath following, absolute position autonomous navigation, and relative position autonomous navigation. The present effort is focused on producing a system that is commercially viable for routine autonomous patrolling of known, semistructured environments, like environmental monitoring of chemical and petroleum refineries, exterior physical security and surveillance, perimeter patrolling, and intrafacility transport applications.

Self-Access Language Learning for Malaysian University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tse, Andrew Yau Hau

2012-01-01

Just a few Malaysian universities offer self-access language learning activities to students. The objective of this study is to investigate if self-access learning can promote self-directed or autonomous learning in a public Malaysian technical university. Data collection is by means of interviewing the Director, lecturers, and students in a…

Cholinergic autonomic dysfunction in veterans with Gulf War illness: confirmation in a population-based sample.

PubMed

Haley, Robert W; Charuvastra, Elizabeth; Shell, William E; Buhner, David M; Marshall, W Wesley; Biggs, Melanie M; Hopkins, Steve C; Wolfe, Gil I; Vernino, Steven

2013-02-01

The authors of prior small studies raised the hypothesis that symptoms in veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, such as chronic diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction, are due to cholinergic autonomic dysfunction. To perform a confirmatory test of this prestated hypothesis in a larger, representative sample of Gulf War veterans. Nested case-control study. Clinical and Translational Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Representative samples of Gulf War veterans meeting a validated case definition of Gulf War illness with 3 variants (called syndromes 1-3) and a control group, all selected randomly from the US Military Health Survey. Validated domain scales from the Autonomic Symptom Profile questionnaire, the Composite Autonomic Severity Score, and high-frequency heart rate variability from a 24-hour electrocardiogram. The Autonomic Symptom Profile scales were significantly elevated in all 3 syndrome groups (P< .001), primarily due to elevation of the orthostatic intolerance, secretomotor, upper gastrointestinal dysmotility, sleep dysfunction, urinary, and autonomic diarrhea symptom domains. The Composite Autonomic Severity Score was also higher in the 3 syndrome groups (P= .045), especially in syndrome 2, primarily due to a significant reduction in sudomotor function as measured by the Quantitative Sudomotor Axon Reflex Test, most significantly in the foot; the score was intermediate in the ankle and upper leg and was nonsignificant in the arm, indicating a peripheral nerve length-related deficit. The normal increase in high-frequency heart rate variability at night was absent or blunted in all 3 syndrome groups (P< .001). Autonomic symptoms are associated with objective, predominantly cholinergic autonomic deficits in the population of Gulf War veterans.

Insights into the background of autonomic medicine.

PubMed

Laranjo, Sérgio; Geraldes, Vera; Oliveira, Mário; Rocha, Isabel

2017-10-01

Knowledge of the physiology underlying the autonomic nervous system is pivotal for understanding autonomic dysfunction in clinical practice. Autonomic dysfunction may result from primary modifications of the autonomic nervous system or be secondary to a wide range of diseases that cause severe morbidity and mortality. Together with a detailed history and physical examination, laboratory assessment of autonomic function is essential for the analysis of various clinical conditions and the establishment of effective, personalized and precise therapeutic schemes. This review summarizes the main aspects of autonomic medicine that constitute the background of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Electronic Media Learning Materials of Indira Gandhi National Open University, India: An Analytical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, V. Manoj; Ghosh, Chinmoy Kumar

2013-01-01

The establishment of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in 1985 has been a milestone in the growth of higher education in India. A very special feature of the University is that a composite of several instructional methods in practice are aimed at giving effective support to distance learners. Self-instructional print materials are…

Towards autonomous lab-on-a-chip devices for cell phone biosensing.

PubMed

Comina, Germán; Suska, Anke; Filippini, Daniel

2016-03-15

Modern cell phones are a ubiquitous resource with a residual capacity to accommodate chemical sensing and biosensing capabilities. From the different approaches explored to capitalize on such resource, the use of autonomous disposable lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices-conceived as only accessories to complement cell phones-underscores the possibility to entirely retain cell phones' ubiquity for distributed biosensing. The technology and principles exploited for autonomous LOC devices are here selected and reviewed focusing on their potential to serve cell phone readout configurations. Together with this requirement, the central aspects of cell phones' resources that determine their potential for analytical detection are examined. The conversion of these LOC concepts into universal architectures that are readable on unaccessorized phones is discussed within this context. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Autonomic Nervous System Disorders

MedlinePlus

Your autonomic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that controls involuntary actions, such as the beating of your heart ... breathing and swallowing Erectile dysfunction in men Autonomic nervous system disorders can occur alone or as the result ...

Exposure to blue light during lunch break: effects on autonomic arousal and behavioral alertness.

PubMed

Yuda, Emi; Ogasawara, Hiroki; Yoshida, Yutaka; Hayano, Junichiro

2017-07-11

Exposures to melanopsin-stimulating (melanopic) component-rich blue light enhance arousal level. We examined their effects in office workers. Eight healthy university office workers were exposed to blue and orange lights for 30 min during lunch break on different days. We compared the effects of light color on autonomic arousal level assessed by heart rate variability (HRV) and behavioral alertness by psychomotor vigilance tests (PVT). Heart rate was higher and high-frequency (HF, 0.150.45 Hz) power of HRV was lower during exposure to the blue light than to orange light. No significant difference with light color was observed, however, in any HRV indices during PVT or in PVT performance after light exposure. Exposure to blue light during lunch break, compared with that to orange light, enhances autonomic arousal during exposure, but has no sustained effect on autonomic arousal or behavioral alertness after exposure.

A Robust Compositional Architecture for Autonomous Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brat, Guillaume; Deney, Ewen; Farrell, Kimberley; Giannakopoulos, Dimitra; Jonsson, Ari; Frank, Jeremy; Bobby, Mark; Carpenter, Todd; Estlin, Tara

2006-01-01

Space exploration applications can benefit greatly from autonomous systems. Great distances, limited communications and high costs make direct operations impossible while mandating operations reliability and efficiency beyond what traditional commanding can provide. Autonomous systems can improve reliability and enhance spacecraft capability significantly. However, there is reluctance to utilizing autonomous systems. In part this is due to general hesitation about new technologies, but a more tangible concern is that of reliability of predictability of autonomous software. In this paper, we describe ongoing work aimed at increasing robustness and predictability of autonomous software, with the ultimate goal of building trust in such systems. The work combines state-of-the-art technologies and capabilities in autonomous systems with advanced validation and synthesis techniques. The focus of this paper is on the autonomous system architecture that has been defined, and on how it enables the application of validation techniques for resulting autonomous systems.

Terrain Navigation Concepts for Autonomous Vehicles,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

AD-fi144 994 TERRAIN NAVIGATION CONCEPTS FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES (U) i/i I ARMY ENGINEER OPOGRAPHIC LABS FORT BELVOIR VA R D LEIGHTY JUN 84 ETL-R@65...FUNCTIONS The pacing problem for developing autonomous vehicles that can efficiently move to designated locations in the real world in the perfor- mance...autonomous functions can serve as general terrain navigation requirements for our discussion of autonomous vehicles . LEIGHTY Can we build a vehicular system

National Student Feedback Surveys in Distance Education: An Investigation at the UK Open University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashby, Alison; Richardson, John T. E.; Woodley, Alan

2011-01-01

National student feedback surveys are administered in a number of countries, and several of these encompass both campus-based and distance learning students. The UK Open University achieves a high ranking in the annual National Student Survey (NSS), but there are some anomalies in the results. The NSS questionnaire was administered to three…

Autonomous Control Modes and Optimized Path Guidance for Shipboard Landing in High Sea States

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-12

Performing Organization: The Pennsylvania State University Department of Aerospace Engineering 231C Hammond Building University Park, PA 16802 Attn...Plant Models Used in the Study The H-60 class model was developed and distributed by ART to both NAVAIR and Penn State research teams. The model...To) 07 109 I 201 4 tD 07 I 08 12016 ’t TITLE AND SUBTITLE Autonomous Control Modes and Optimized Path Guidance for Shipboard Landing in High Sea States

Autonomous Payload Operations Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stetson, Howard K.; Deitsch, David K.; Cruzen, Craig A.; Haddock, Angie T.

2007-01-01

Operating the International Space Station (ISS) involves many complex crew tended, ground operated and combined systems. Over the life of the ISS program, it has become evident that by having automated and autonomous systems on board, more can be accomplished and at the same time reduce the workload of the crew and ground operators. Engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Alabama, working in collaboration with The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory have developed an autonomous software system that uses the Timeliner User Interface Language and expert logic to continuously monitor ISS payload systems, issue commands and signal ground operators as required. This paper describes the development history of the system, its concept of operation and components. The paper also discusses the testing process as well as the facilities used to develop the system. The paper concludes with a description of future enhancement plans for use on the ISS as well as potential applications to Lunar and Mars exploration systems.

State and National Accreditation of One University Program: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martindale, Maura; Bartell, Carol A.

2010-01-01

Programs preparing teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing are typically housed in schools of education and are subject to university requirements as well as state and national accreditation requirements. This article describes how one program to prepare teachers of the deaf, founded in 2007, navigated those requirements and became part of a…

Enriching the hierarchical model of achievement motivation: autonomous and controlling reasons underlying achievement goals.

PubMed

Michou, Aikaterini; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Mouratidis, Athanasios; Lens, Willy

2014-12-01

The hierarchical model of achievement motivation presumes that achievement goals channel the achievement motives of need for achievement and fear of failure towards motivational outcomes. Yet, less is known whether autonomous and controlling reasons underlying the pursuit of achievement goals can serve as additional pathways between achievement motives and outcomes. We tested whether mastery approach, performance approach, and performance avoidance goals and their underlying autonomous and controlling reasons would jointly explain the relation between achievement motives (i.e., fear of failure and need for achievement) and learning strategies (Study 1). Additionally, we examined whether the autonomous and controlling reasons underlying learners' dominant achievement goal would account for the link between achievement motives and the educational outcomes of learning strategies and cheating (Study 2). Six hundred and six Greek adolescent students (Mage = 15.05, SD = 1.43) and 435 university students (Mage M = 20.51, SD = 2.80) participated in studies 1 and 2, respectively. In both studies, a correlational design was used and the hypotheses were tested via path modelling. Autonomous and controlling reasons underlying the pursuit of achievement goals mediated, respectively, the relation of need for achievement and fear of failure to aspects of learning outcomes. Autonomous and controlling reasons underlying achievement goals could further explain learners' functioning in achievement settings. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

The Extent of and Reasons for Non Re-Enrollment: A Case of Korea National Open University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Hyoseon; Lee, Yekyung; Jung, Insung; Latchem, Colin

2013-01-01

Despite continuous efforts to increase retention, dropout rates are high in distance universities. The objectives of this study were: 1) to investigate the extent and causes of non re-enrollment at a mega university, Korea National Open University; and 2) to suggest actions to improve the retention of students, in general, and those with higher…

Autonomic Computing: Freedom or a Threat?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fink, Glenn A.; Frincke, Deb

2007-12-01

No longer is the question whether autonomic computing will gain general acceptance but when. Experts expect autonomic computing to be widely used within 10 years. When it does become mainstream, how will autonomics change system administration and corporations, and will the change be for better or worse? The answer depends on how well we anticipate the limitations of what autonomic systems are suited to do, whether we can collectively address the vulnerabilities of autonomic approaches as we draw upon the advantages, and whether administrators, companies, partners, and users are prepared for the transition. This article presents some design considerations tomore » address the first two issues and some suggested survival techniques for the third.« less

Autonomous mobile robot research using the HERMIES-III robot

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pin, F.G.; Beckerman, M.; Spelt, P.F.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on the status and future directions in the research, development and experimental validation of intelligent control techniques for autonomous mobile robots using the HERMIES-III robot at the Center for Engineering Systems Advanced research (CESAR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). HERMIES-III is the fourth robot in a series of increasingly more sophisticated and capable experimental test beds developed at CESAR. HERMIES-III is comprised of a battery powered, onmi-directional wheeled platform with a seven degree-of-freedom manipulator arm, video cameras, sonar range sensors, laser imaging scanner and a dual computer system containing up to 128 NCUBE nodes in hypercubemore » configuration. All electronics, sensors, computers, and communication equipment required for autonomous operation of HERMIES-III are located on board along with sufficient battery power for three to four hours of operation. The paper first provides a more detailed description of the HERMIES-III characteristics, focussing on the new areas of research and demonstration now possible at CESAR with this new test-bed. The initial experimental program is then described with emphasis placed on autonomous performance of human-scale tasks (e.g., valve manipulation, use of tools), integration of a dexterous manipulator and platform motion in geometrically complex environments, and effective use of multiple cooperating robots (HERMIES-IIB and HERMIES- III). The paper concludes with a discussion of the integration problems and safety considerations necessarily arising from the set-up of an experimental program involving human-scale, multi-autonomous mobile robots performance. 10 refs., 3 figs.« less

Essential Kinematics for Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-02

AD-.A282 456 Essential Kinematics for Autonomous Vehicles Alonzo Kelly DTICCMU-RI-TR-94- 14 AU 031994 F The Robotics Institute Carnegie Mellon...kit of concepts and techniques that will equip the reader to master a large class of kinematic modelling problems. Control of autonomous vehicles in 3D...transformation from system ’a’ to system b’. Essential Kinematics for Autonomous Vehicles page 1. The specification of derivatives will be necessarily

Development and Evaluation of an Airborne Separation Assurance System for Autonomous Aircraft Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barhydt, Richard; Palmer, Michael T.; Eischeid, Todd M.

2004-01-01

NASA Langley Research Center is developing an Autonomous Operations Planner (AOP) that functions as an Airborne Separation Assurance System for autonomous flight operations. This development effort supports NASA s Distributed Air-Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM) operational concept, designed to significantly increase capacity of the national airspace system, while maintaining safety. Autonomous aircraft pilots use the AOP to maintain traffic separation from other autonomous aircraft and managed aircraft flying under today's Instrument Flight Rules, while maintaining traffic flow management constraints assigned by Air Traffic Service Providers. AOP is designed to facilitate eventual implementation through careful modeling of its operational environment, interfaces with other aircraft systems and data links, and conformance with established flight deck conventions and human factors guidelines. AOP uses currently available or anticipated data exchanged over modeled Arinc 429 data buses and an Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast 1090 MHz link. It provides pilots with conflict detection, prevention, and resolution functions and works with the Flight Management System to maintain assigned traffic flow management constraints. The AOP design has been enhanced over the course of several experiments conducted at NASA Langley and is being prepared for an upcoming Joint Air/Ground Simulation with NASA Ames Research Center.

Political Socialisation at British and West German Universities--or: Whistling in the Dark?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tilford, Roger

1985-01-01

British universities remain autonomous and continue to act as effective agencies of political socialization. The historical ambivalence in the structure of the German university between academic freedom and state regulation remains, inhibiting the German university's value as an agency of political socialization. (Author/RM)

Why Computer-Based Systems Should be Autonomic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterritt, Roy; Hinchey, Mike

2005-01-01

The objective of this paper is to discuss why computer-based systems should be autonomic, where autonomicity implies self-managing, often conceptualized in terms of being self-configuring, self-healing, self-optimizing, self-protecting and self-aware. We look at motivations for autonomicity, examine how more and more systems are exhibiting autonomic behavior, and finally look at future directions.

National Summit on Campus Public Safety. Strategies for Colleges and Universities in a Homeland Security Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Justice, 2005

2005-01-01

The aftermath of September 11, 2001 prompted the reexamination of the nation's defenses and vulnerabilities in light of new realities. Every sector of society, particularly those who protect the well being of communities, required change. Safety and security operations on the nation's college and university campuses are no exception. The nation's…

Aligning and Elevating University-Based Low-Income Nutrition Education through the Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension System. National Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Connie

2014-01-01

The nation's Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension System (LGU-CES) is committed to ensuring that low-income populations have a safe, affordable, and healthy food supply. Two low-income nutrition education programs that are core to this commitment are the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and the Supplemental Nutrition…

Decentralized Control of Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

Autonomous Vehicles by John S. Baras, Xiaobo Tan, Pedram Hovareshti CSHCN TR 2003-8 (ISR TR 2003-14) Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704...AND SUBTITLE Decentralized Control of Autonomous Vehicles 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT...Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Decentralized Control of Autonomous Vehicles ∗ John S. Baras, Xiaobo Tan, and Pedram

Public Health, Ethics, and Autonomous Vehicles

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

With the potential to save nearly 30 000 lives per year in the United States, autonomous vehicles portend the most significant advance in auto safety history by shifting the focus from minimization of postcrash injury to collision prevention. I have delineated the important public health implications of autonomous vehicles and provided a brief analysis of a critically important ethical issue inherent in autonomous vehicle design. The broad expertise, ethical principles, and values of public health should be brought to bear on a wide range of issues pertaining to autonomous vehicles. PMID:28207327

Public Health, Ethics, and Autonomous Vehicles.

PubMed

Fleetwood, Janet

2017-04-01

With the potential to save nearly 30 000 lives per year in the United States, autonomous vehicles portend the most significant advance in auto safety history by shifting the focus from minimization of postcrash injury to collision prevention. I have delineated the important public health implications of autonomous vehicles and provided a brief analysis of a critically important ethical issue inherent in autonomous vehicle design. The broad expertise, ethical principles, and values of public health should be brought to bear on a wide range of issues pertaining to autonomous vehicles.

Book Learning and Life Lessons: Chris Sindone of Haskell Indian Nations University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sorensen, Barbara Ellen

2017-01-01

American Indian Higher Education (AIHEC) Student Congress president Chris Sindone (Pawnee of Oklahoma) was headed down a rough road, until Haskell Indian Nations University helped turn his life around. This profile describes Sindone's path to Haskell, highlights his successes and influences, as well as his plans for the future.

Autonomous Commanding of the WIRE Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prior, Mike; Walyus, Keith; Saylor, Rick

1999-01-01

This paper presents the end-to-end design architecture for an autonomous commanding capability to be used on the Wide Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) mission for the uplink of command loads during unattended station contacts. The WIRE mission is the fifth and final mission of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Small Explorer (SMEX) series to be launched in March of 1999. Its primary mission is the targeting of deep space fields using an ultra-cooled infrared telescope. Due to its mission design WIRE command loads are large (approximately 40 Kbytes per 24 hours) and must be performed daily. To reduce the cost of mission operations support that would be required in order to uplink command loads, the WIRE Flight Operations Team has implemented an autonomous command loading capability. This capability allows completely unattended operations over a typical two- day weekend period. The key factors driving design and implementation of this capability were: 1) Integration with already existing ground system autonomous capabilities and systems, 2) The desire to evolve autonomous operations capabilities based upon previous SMEX operations experience 3) Integration with ground station operations - both autonomous and man-tended, 4) Low cost and quick implementation, and 5) End-to-end system robustness. A trade-off study was performed to examine these factors in light of the low-cost, higher-risk SMEX mission philosophy. The study concluded that a STOL (Spacecraft Test and Operations Language) based script, highly integrated with other scripts used to perform autonomous operations, was best suited given the budget and goals of the mission. Each of these factors is discussed to provide an overview of the autonomous operations capabilities implemented for the mission. The capabilities implemented on the WIRE mission are an example of a low-cost, robust, and efficient method for autonomous command loading when implemented with other autonomous features of the ground system. They

Effects of alpha-glucosylhesperidin on the peripheral body temperature and autonomic nervous system.

PubMed

Takumi, Hiroko; Fujishima, Noboru; Shiraishi, Koso; Mori, Yuka; Ariyama, Ai; Kometani, Takashi; Hashimoto, Shinichi; Nadamoto, Tomonori

2010-01-01

We studied the effects of alpha-glucosylhesperidin (G-Hsp) on the peripheral body temperature and autonomic nervous system in humans. We first conducted a survey of 97 female university students about excessive sensitivity to the cold; 74% of them replied that they were susceptible or somewhat susceptible to the cold. We subsequently conducted a three-step experiment. In the first experiment, G-Hsp (500 mg) was proven to prevent a decrease in the peripheral body temperature under an ambient temperature of 24 degrees C. In the second experiment, a warm beverage containing G-Hsp promoted blood circulation and kept the finger temperature higher for a longer time. We finally used a heart-rate variability analysis to study whether G-Hsp changed the autonomic nervous activity. The high-frequency (HF) component tended to be higher, while the ratio of the low-frequency (LF)/HF components tended to be lower after the G-Hsp administration. These results suggest that the mechanism for temperature control by G-Hsp might involve an effect on the autonomic nervous system.

Application of autonomous robotized systems for the collection of nearshore topographic changing and hydrodynamic measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyakov, Vladimir; Makarov, Vladimir; Zezyulin, Denis; Kurkin, Andrey; Pelinovsky, Efim

2015-04-01

Hazardous phenomena in the coastal zone lead to the topographic changing which are difficulty inspected by traditional methods. It is why those autonomous robots are used for collection of nearshore topographic and hydrodynamic measurements. The robot RTS-Hanna is well-known (Wubbold, F., Hentschel, M., Vousdoukas, M., and Wagner, B. Application of an autonomous robot for the collection of nearshore topographic and hydrodynamic measurements. Coastal Engineering Proceedings, 2012, vol. 33, Paper 53). We describe here several constructions of mobile systems developed in Laboratory "Transported Machines and Transported Complexes", Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University. They can be used in the field surveys and monitoring of wave regimes nearshore.

[Trigemino-autonomic headache syndromes].

PubMed

Busch, V; May, A

2003-01-01

This review describes the characteristics of some rare severe primary headache syndromes without any structural lesions, which are summarized as the trigemino-autonomic headaches. Pain in these syndromes is associated with autonomic symptoms such as conjunctival injection, lacrimation, rhinorrhoe, ptosis or eyelid edema. This article summarizes the diagnostics, epidemiology and therapy of these conditions.

ICT in Education: Evaluating the Concerns of the In-Service Students of Fiji National University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubey, Akash D.

2016-01-01

In recent times, most of the developing countries have concentrated themselves on evolving with the help of Information and Communication Technologies, Republic of Fiji being one of them. Fiji National University, one of the leading universities in Fiji has been playing a very important role for the development of the country. In this paper, the…

A Case Study of MOOCs Design and Administration at Seoul National University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Cheolil; Kim, Sunyoung; Kim, Mihwa; Han, Songlee; Seo, Seungil

2014-01-01

This research, based on the case study of edX at Seoul National University, which is running Korea's first Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), discussed and proposed the roles of principal facilitators, the process, and the relationships among various facilitators in selecting, designing, opening and administrating MOOCs classes. Researches on…

Interactivity in Distance Education: The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambe-Uva, Terhemba Nom

2006-01-01

The paper represents a study of students' experience of interactivity in distance education programmes at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). Through surveys and focus groups with students, facilitators, and administrative support staff, we found out that interactivity is a key determinant of student success rate. Majority of the…

Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy

PubMed Central

Wang, Z.; Low, P.A.; Jordan, J.; Freeman, R.; Gibbons, C.H.; Schroeder, C.; Sandroni, P.; Vernino, S.

2008-01-01

Background Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG) is an acquired immune-mediated form of diffuse autonomic failure. Many patients have serum antibodies that bind to the ganglionic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) that mediate fast synaptic transmission in autonomic ganglia. Previous clinical studies and observations in animal models suggest that AAG is an antibody-mediated neurologic disorder. Methods Using whole-cell patch clamp techniques, we recorded ganglionic AChR currents in cultured human IMR-32 cells and examined the effects of bath application of IgG derived from patients with AAG. Results IgG from seven patients with AAG all produced a progressive decline in whole-cell ganglionic AChR current, whereas IgG from control subjects had no effect. The effect was abolished at low temperature. Fab antibody fragments had no effect unless a secondary antibody was added concurrently. IgG from one patient also produced a more immediate reduction of ganglionic AChR current. Conclusions The characteristics of antibody-mediated inhibition of ganglionic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) current are consistent with modulation and blocking of the membrane AChR, analogous to the effects of muscle AChR antibodies in myasthenia gravis. Our observations demonstrate that antibodies in patients with autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG) cause physiologic changes in ganglionic AChR function and confirm that AAG is an antibody-mediated disorder. PMID:17536048

Autonomic Computing for Spacecraft Ground Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Zhenping; Savkli, Cetin; Jones, Lori

2007-01-01

Autonomic computing for spacecraft ground systems increases the system reliability and reduces the cost of spacecraft operations and software maintenance. In this paper, we present an autonomic computing solution for spacecraft ground systems at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), which consists of an open standard for a message oriented architecture referred to as the GMSEC architecture (Goddard Mission Services Evolution Center), and an autonomic computing tool, the Criteria Action Table (CAT). This solution has been used in many upgraded ground systems for NASA 's missions, and provides a framework for developing solutions with higher autonomic maturity.

Establishment of an International University: Report of the United Nations Panel of Experts and the Director-General's Proposals in This Connexion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

This document contains the report and recommendations of the United Nations Panel of Experts on the Establishment of an International University. The panel feels that such a university would be highly beneficial to all nations. The first function of an International University would be to concern itself with problems such as those of coexistence…

3 CFR 8869 - Proclamation 8869 of September 21, 2012. National Historically Black Colleges and Universities...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Proclamation 8869 of September 21, 2012. National... Nation's first colleges and universities for African Americans shared a fundamental belief that, with the... generation. Let us also reaffirm our belief in the power of progress through education—a belief we share with...

The Silent Campus Speaks: North Carolina State University and the National Student Protest, May 1970

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broadhurst, Christopher James

2012-01-01

May 1970 became a pivotal moment in higher education. In that month, the backlash over two events, the announcement of the American invasion of Cambodia and the National Guard killing four Kent State University students protesting that military offensive, triggered the largest student protest in history. Across the nation, hundreds of thousands of…

Current challenges in autonomous vehicle development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connelly, J.; Hong, W. S.; Mahoney, R. B., Jr.; Sparrow, D. A.

2006-05-01

The field of autonomous vehicles is a rapidly growing one, with significant interest from both government and industry sectors. Autonomous vehicles represent the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, combining decision-making with real-time control. Autonomous vehicles are desired for use in search and rescue, urban reconnaissance, mine detonation, supply convoys, and more. The general adage is to use robots for anything dull, dirty, dangerous or dumb. While a great deal of research has been done on autonomous systems, there are only a handful of fielded examples incorporating machine autonomy beyond the level of teleoperation, especially in outdoor/complex environments. In an attempt to assess and understand the current state of the art in autonomous vehicle development, a few areas where unsolved problems remain became clear. This paper outlines those areas and provides suggestions for the focus of science and technology research. The first step in evaluating the current state of autonomous vehicle development was to develop a definition of autonomy. A number of autonomy level classification systems were reviewed. The resulting working definitions and classification schemes used by the authors are summarized in the opening sections of the paper. The remainder of the report discusses current approaches and challenges in decision-making and real-time control for autonomous vehicles. Suggested research focus areas for near-, mid-, and long-term development are also presented.

Autonomic Materials for Smarter, Safer, Longer-Lasting Batteries (A "Life at the Frontiers of Energy Research" contest entry from the 2011 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) Summit and Forum)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thackeray, Michael M.

"Autonomic Materials for Smarter, Safer, Longer-Lasting Batteries" was submitted by the Center for Electrochemical Energy Science (CEES) to the "Life at the Frontiers of Energy Research" video contest at the 2011 Science for Our Nation's Energy Future: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) Summit and Forum. Twenty-six EFRCs created short videos to highlight their mission and their work. CEES, an EFRC directed by Michael Thackery at Argonne National Laboratory is a partnership of scientists from four institutions: ANL (lead), Northwestern University, Purdue University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Office of Basic Energy Sciences in the U.S. Department ofmore » Energy's Office of Science established the 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) in 2009. These collaboratively-organized centers conduct fundamental research focused on 'grand challenges' and use-inspired 'basic research needs' recently identified in major strategic planning efforts by the scientific community. The overall purpose is to accelerate scientific progress toward meeting the nation's critical energy challenges. The mission of the Center for Electrochemical Energy Science (CEES) is "to create a robust fundamental understanding of the phenomena that control the reactivity of electrified oxide interfaces, films and materials relevant to lithium-ion battery chemistries". Research topics are: electrical energy storage, batteries, battery electrodes, electrolytes, adaptive materials, interfacial characterization, matter by design; novel materials synthesis, charge transport, and defect tolerant materials.« less

Autonomic nervous system and lipid metabolism: findings in anxious-depressive spectrum and eating disorders.

PubMed

Pistorio, Elisabetta; Luca, Maria; Luca, Antonina; Messina, Vincenzo; Calandra, Carmela

2011-10-28

To correlate lipid metabolism and autonomic dysfunction with anxious-depressive spectrum and eating disorders. To propose the lipid index (LI) as a new possible biomarker. 95 patients and 60 controls were enrolled from the University Psychiatry Unit of Catania and from general practitioners (GPs). The patients were divided into four pathological groups: Anxiety, Depression, Anxious-Depressive Disorder and Eating Disorders [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) official/appendix criteria]. The levels of the cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoproteins A and B were determined. The LI, for each subject, was obtained through a mathematical operation on the values of the cholesterol and triglycerides levels compared with the maximum cut-off of the general population. The autonomic functioning was tested with Ewing battery tests. Particularly, the correlation between heart rate variability (HRV) and lipid metabolism has been investigated. Pathological and control groups, compared among each other, presented some peculiarities in the lipid metabolism and the autonomic dysfunction scores. In addition, a statistically significant correlation has been found between HRV and lipid metabolism. Lipid metabolism and autonomic functioning seem to be related to the discussed psychiatric disorders. LI, in addition, could represent a new possible biomarker to be considered.

National Information Policy Developments Worldwide II: Universal Access-Addressing the Digital Divide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Adrienne; Oppenheim, Charles

2002-01-01

Describes the results of a literature survey on recent developments in national information policies in the area of universal access that tries to ensure equal access to information, and considers the digital divide. Highlights include policies in Australia, Canada, the European Union, Hong Kong, the United States, and Okinawa. (Contains 64…

Nation Building and the University in Developing Countries: The Case of Malaysia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmat, Sharom

1980-01-01

The part the university plays in the building of a nation in the post-independence period is described and illustrated by means of a detailed study of Malaysia. The impact of economic, socio-cultural, and political factors are analyzed and the objectives of higher education in contemporary Malaysia are articulated. (Author/MLW)

Compact autonomous navigation system (CANS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Y. C.; Ying, L.; Xiong, K.; Cheng, H. Y.; Qiao, G. D.

2017-11-01

Autonomous navigation of Satellite and constellation has series of benefits, such as to reduce operation cost and ground station workload, to avoid the event of crises of war and natural disaster, to increase spacecraft autonomy, and so on. Autonomous navigation satellite is independent of ground station support. Many systems are developed for autonomous navigation of satellite in the past 20 years. Along them American MANS (Microcosm Autonomous Navigation System) [1] of Microcosm Inc. and ERADS [2] [3] (Earth Reference Attitude Determination System) of Honeywell Inc. are well known. The systems anticipate a series of good features of autonomous navigation and aim low cost, integrated structure, low power consumption and compact layout. The ERADS is an integrated small 3-axis attitude sensor system with low cost and small volume. It has the Earth center measurement accuracy higher than the common IR sensor because the detected ultraviolet radiation zone of the atmosphere has a brightness gradient larger than that of the IR zone. But the ERADS is still a complex system because it has to eliminate many problems such as making of the sapphire sphere lens, birefringence effect of sapphire, high precision image transfer optical fiber flattener, ultraviolet intensifier noise, and so on. The marginal sphere FOV of the sphere lens of the ERADS is used to star imaging that may be bring some disadvantages., i.e. , the image energy and attitude measurements accuracy may be reduced due to the tilt image acceptance end of the fiber flattener in the FOV. Besides Japan, Germany and Russia developed visible earth sensor for GEO [4] [5]. Do we have a way to develop a cheaper/easier and more accurate autonomous navigation system that can be used to all LEO spacecraft, especially, to LEO small and micro satellites? To return this problem we provide a new type of the system—CANS (Compact Autonomous Navigation System) [6].

Acceptance Criteria Framework for Autonomous Biological Detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dzenitis, J M

2006-12-12

The purpose of this study was to examine a set of user acceptance criteria for autonomous biological detection systems for application in high-traffic, public facilities. The test case for the acceptance criteria was the Autonomous Pathogen Detection System (APDS) operating in high-traffic facilities in New York City (NYC). However, the acceptance criteria were designed to be generally applicable to other biological detection systems in other locations. For such detection systems, ''users'' will include local authorities (e.g., facility operators, public health officials, and law enforcement personnel) and national authorities [including personnel from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the BioWatch Program,more » the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)]. The panel members brought expertise from a broad range of backgrounds to complete this picture. The goals of this document are: (1) To serve as informal guidance for users in considering the benefits and costs of these systems. (2) To serve as informal guidance for developers in understanding the needs of users. In follow-up work, this framework will be used to systematically document the APDS for appropriateness and readiness for use in NYC.« less

Site Team Review: Petition for Degree-Granting Authority by National Defense University, School for Information Resources Management (iCollege)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2010

2010-01-01

On November 3, 2010, a site team from the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) and the U.S. Department of Education conducted a visit to National Defense University's (University) School for Information Resources Management (IRMC or iCollege) at Ft. McNair in Washington, DC. The purpose of the visit was to…

Autonomous Flight Safety System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, James

2010-01-01

The Autonomous Flight Safety System (AFSS) is an independent self-contained subsystem mounted onboard a launch vehicle. AFSS has been developed by and is owned by the US Government. Autonomously makes flight termination/destruct decisions using configurable software-based rules implemented on redundant flight processors using data from redundant GPS/IMU navigation sensors. AFSS implements rules determined by the appropriate Range Safety officials.

Analysis of autonomous vehicle policies.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-01-01

The rapid development and adoption of connected and autonomous vehicles will transform the U.S. transportation system over the next 30 years. Although the widespread use of fully connected and autonomous vehicles is still several years away, it is no...

Epidemiology of polycystic ovary syndrome: a cross sectional study of university students at An-Najah national university-Palestine.

PubMed

Musmar, Samar; Afaneh, Asma; Mo'alla, Hafsa

2013-05-20

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common gynecological endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age. Despite its heavy burden on female reproduction and general health, there is no study regarding PCOS prevalence in Palestine. This study aims to establish prevalence of PCOS among female university students at An-Najah National University-Palestine and to explore its possible risk factors. A cross sectional study was conducted on 137 female students using convenience sampling method for age group (18-24) years. PCOS cases were identified according to the National Institute of health (NIH) criteria through clinical interview and assessment for participants at the University clinics. Menstrual irregularities regarding cycle and flow were identified and clinical hyperandrogenism was assessed as the self-reported degree of hirsutism using the modified Ferriman Gallwey (mF-G) scoring method of more than 8 score. Biochemical hyperandrogenism for girls with menstrual irregularities was assessed by measuring free testosterone level. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 17 applying descriptive methods; different risk factor relationships were estimated using bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression. The estimated prevalence of PCOS was 7.3%, acne was the only studied risk factor among others to be statistically significantly related to PCOS patients (OR=8.430, P-value=0.015). Clinical Hirsutism was found in 27% of participants, 70% of whom had idiopathic hirsutism. Prevalence of PCOS in Palestine seems to be relatively high but similar to other Mediterranean statistics. We recommend further studies using wider age group and larger sample for all parts of Palestine in order to generalize results.

Kinematic Simulation of a universal rescue vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasiliev, I. A.; Smirnova, E. Y.; Krasheninnikov, M. S.; Koshurina, A. A.; Dorofeev, R. A.; E Gai, V.

2017-01-01

The rescue of people in disaster through autonomous means of evacuation in some cases is the only way to save their lives. Rescue Mission often takes place in remote locations. The paper studies modeling of a universal rescue vehicle with a rotary-screw propeller.

Cardiac Autonomic Balance vs. Cardiac Regulatory Capacity

PubMed Central

Berntson, Gary G.; Norman, Greg J.; Hawkley, Louise C.; Cacioppo, John T.

2013-01-01

The concept of autonomic balance views autonomic states along a bipolar continuum from sympathetic (S) to parasympathetic (P) dominance, whereas regulatory capacity models emphasize overall autonomic flexibility as a marker of the capacity for regulation. These two concepts were evaluated for their utility in characterizing patterns of autonomic control. Measures of P (high frequency heart rate variability, HF) and S (pre-ejection period, PEP) cardiac control were obtained. A measure of cardiac autonomic balance (CAB) was derived as the difference in the normalized P index minus the S index, and a measure of cardiac autonomic regulation (CAR) was derived as the normalized P index plus the S index. Results reveal that CAR, but not CAB, was a significant predictor of the prior occurrence of a myocardial infarction, net of demographic and other variables, whereas CAB, but not CAR, was a significant predictor of concurrent diabetes. PMID:18282204

Multi-organ autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson disease

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Both pathologic and clinical studies of autonomic pathways have expanded the concept of Parkinson disease (PD) from a movement disorder to a multi-level widespread neurodegenerative process with non-motor features spanning several organ systems. This review integrates neuropathologic findings and autonomic physiology in PD as it relates to end organ autonomic function. Symptoms, pathology and physiology of the cardiovascular, skin/sweat gland, urinary, gastrointestinal, pupillary and neuroendocrine systems can be probed by autopsy, biopsy and non-invasive electrophysiological techniques in vivo which assess autonomic anatomy and function. There is mounting evidence that PD affects a chain of neurons in autonomic pathways. Consequently, autonomic physiology may serve as a window into non-motor PD progression and allow the development of mechanistically based treatment strategies for several non-motor features of PD. End-organ physiologic markers may be used to inform a model of PD pathophysiology and non-motor progression. PMID:20851033

Analytical Study of E-Learning Resources in National Open University of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ajegbomogun, Fredrick Olatunji; Okunlaya, Rifqah Olufunmilayo Afolake; Alawiye, Mariam Kehinde

2017-01-01

This paper analyses e-learning resources in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) using Abeokuta study center. Survey research method was adopted for this study. A questionnaire was designed and used to collect data for this study. A sample of 150 respondents was randomly selected from the final year students in the six schools of the…

Expanded Perspectives on Autonomous Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oxford, Rebecca L.

2015-01-01

This paper explores two general perspectives on autonomous learners: psychological and sociocultural. These perspectives introduce a range of theoretically grounded facets of autonomous learners, facets such as the self-regulated learner, the emotionally intelligent learner, the self-determined learner, the mediated learner, the socioculturally…

Autonomic symptoms following Zika virus infection.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Yhojan; Rojas, Manuel; Ramírez-Santana, Carolina; Acosta-Ampudia, Yeny; Monsalve, Diana M; Anaya, Juan-Manuel

2018-04-01

To determine if autonomic symptoms are associated with previous Zika virus infection. Case-control study including 35 patients with Zika virus infection without evidence of neurological disease and 105 controls. Symptoms of autonomic dysfunction were assessed with the composite autonomic symptom scale 31 (COMPASS-31). Patients with previous Zika virus infection had significantly higher COMPASS-31 score than controls regardless of age and sex (p = 0.007). The main drivers for the higher scores where orthostatic intolerance (p = 0.003), secretomotor (p = 0.04) and bladder symptoms (p < 0.001). Zika virus infection is associated with autonomic dysfunction. The mechanisms remain to be elucidated.

General autonomic components of motion sickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowings, Patricia S.; Suter, Steve; Toscano, William B.; Kamiya, Joe; Naifeh, Karen

1986-01-01

This report refers to a body of investigations directed toward the examination of autonomic nervous system responses to motion sickness. Heart rate, respiration rate, finger pulse volume, and basal skin resistance were measured on 127 men and women before, during, and after exposure to a nauseogenic rotating chair test. Significant changes in all autonomic responses were observed across the tests (p less than .05). Significant differences in autonomic responses among groups divided according to motion sickness susceptibility were also observed (p less than .05). Results suggest that the examination of autonomic responses as an objective indicator of motion sickness malaise is warranted and may contribute to the overall understanding of the syndrome.

Physics Simulation Software for Autonomous Propellant Loading and Gas House Autonomous System Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Regalado Reyes, Bjorn Constant

2015-01-01

1. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is developing a mobile launching system with autonomous propellant loading capabilities for liquid-fueled rockets. An autonomous system will be responsible for monitoring and controlling the storage, loading and transferring of cryogenic propellants. The Physics Simulation Software will reproduce the sensor data seen during the delivery of cryogenic fluids including valve positions, pressures, temperatures and flow rates. The simulator will provide insight into the functionality of the propellant systems and demonstrate the effects of potential faults. This will provide verification of the communications protocols and the autonomous system control. 2. The High Pressure Gas Facility (HPGF) stores and distributes hydrogen, nitrogen, helium and high pressure air. The hydrogen and nitrogen are stored in cryogenic liquid state. The cryogenic fluids pose several hazards to operators and the storage and transfer equipment. Constant monitoring of pressures, temperatures and flow rates are required in order to maintain the safety of personnel and equipment during the handling and storage of these commodities. The Gas House Autonomous System Monitoring software will be responsible for constantly observing and recording sensor data, identifying and predicting faults and relaying hazard and operational information to the operators.

Improving the Climate for Graduate Education at a Major Research University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipschutz, Susan S.

1988-01-01

The graduate school at the University of Michigan (UM) is seeking to identify the characteristics of a high quality graduate education, taking into account various aspects of quality that are susceptible to numerical analysis as well as those that are not. Contemporary research universities are composed of many autonomous spheres (undergraduate…

Internationalization of Higher Education in University Institution Rankings: The Influence of National Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delgado-Márquez, Blanca L.; Hurtado-Torres, Nuria E.; Bondar, Yaroslava

2012-01-01

Internationalization constitutes a widespread concept in the management literature and has recently begun to be applied to higher education institutions. While previous research has analyzed the relationship between national culture and corporate profit-oriented behavior, in this study, we focus on university institutions to investigate the…

Architecture of autonomous systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dikshit, Piyush; Guimaraes, Katia; Ramamurthy, Maya; Agrawala, Ashok; Larsen, Ronald L.

1986-01-01

Automation of Space Station functions and activities, particularly those involving robotic capabilities with interactive or supervisory human control, is a complex, multi-disciplinary systems design problem. A wide variety of applications using autonomous control can be found in the literature, but none of them seem to address the problem in general. All of them are designed with a specific application in mind. In this report, an abstract model is described which unifies the key concepts underlying the design of automated systems such as those studied by the aerospace contractors. The model has been kept as general as possible. The attempt is to capture all the key components of autonomous systems. With a little effort, it should be possible to map the functions of any specific autonomous system application to the model presented here.

Architecture of autonomous systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dikshit, Piyush; Guimaraes, Katia; Ramamurthy, Maya; Agrawala, Ashok; Larsen, Ronald L.

1989-01-01

Automation of Space Station functions and activities, particularly those involving robotic capabilities with interactive or supervisory human control, is a complex, multi-disciplinary systems design problem. A wide variety of applications using autonomous control can be found in the literature, but none of them seem to address the problem in general. All of them are designed with a specific application in mind. In this report, an abstract model is described which unifies the key concepts underlying the design of automated systems such as those studied by the aerospace contractors. The model has been kept as general as possible. The attempt is to capture all the key components of autonomous systems. With a little effort, it should be possible to map the functions of any specific autonomous system application to the model presented here.

Association analysis between genetic variants in interleukin genes among different populations with hyperuricemia in Xinjiang Autonomous Region

PubMed Central

Zhang, Bei; Sun, Yuping; Li, Yuanyuan; Yu, Jiahui; Wang, Tingting; Xia, He; Li, Changgui; Liu, Shiguo; Yao, Hua

2015-01-01

To investigate whether functional variants of five interleukin genes (IL-1β, IL-10, IL-8, IL-18 and IL-18RAP) are associated with susceptibility to hyperuricemia among different nationalities (including Uygur, Kazak and Han populations) in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. A total of 884 hyperuricemia patients and 1316 matched controls were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University in Urumqi. After genotyping of rs4073 in IL-8, rs16944 in IL-1, rs187238 in IL-18, rs1800871 in IL-10 and rs13015714 in IL-18RAP by TaqMan allele discrimination assays, an association analysis was performed using the χ2 test as well as a genotype-phenotype analysis. For the Uygur population, IL-8 rs4073, IL-18 rs187238 and IL-18RAP rs130154 polymorphisms were all associated with hyperuricemia (P<0.001 by genotype and P=0.008, OR 0.802 by allele for IL-8; P=0.01 by genotype and P=0.006, OR 1.332 by allele for IL-18 rs187238; P=0.007 by genotype and P=0.005, OR 1.27 by allele for IL-18RAP rs130154). For the Kazak population, only IL-18 rs187238 showed statistical significance with hyperuricemia (P=0.002 by genotype and P=0.007, OR 1.823 by allele). However, no differences were found between the five SNPs and hyperuricemia among the Han population. This study demonstrated genetic polymorphisms of different interleukin genes related to hyperuricemia vary in different nationalities in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region because of different geographical environments. IL-8, IL-1RL1 and IL-18 might be involved in the development of hyperuricemia in the Uygur population, whereas only IL-18 might be involved in the Kazak population. PMID:26722554

NASA's new university engineering space research programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadin, Stanley R.

1988-01-01

The objective of a newly emerging element of NASA's university engineering programs is to provide a more autonomous element that will enhance and broaden the capabilities in academia, enabling them to participate more effectively in the U.S. civil space program. The programs utilize technical monitors at NASA centers to foster collaborative arrangements, exchange of personnel, and the sharing of facilities between NASA and the universities. The elements include: the university advanced space design program, which funds advanced systems study courses at the senior and graduate levels; the university space engineering research program that supports cross-disciplinary research centers; the outreach flight experiments program that offers engineering research opportunities to universities; and the planned university investigator's research program to provide grants to individuals with outstanding credentials.

Supervised autonomous robotic soft tissue surgery.

PubMed

Shademan, Azad; Decker, Ryan S; Opfermann, Justin D; Leonard, Simon; Krieger, Axel; Kim, Peter C W

2016-05-04

The current paradigm of robot-assisted surgeries (RASs) depends entirely on an individual surgeon's manual capability. Autonomous robotic surgery-removing the surgeon's hands-promises enhanced efficacy, safety, and improved access to optimized surgical techniques. Surgeries involving soft tissue have not been performed autonomously because of technological limitations, including lack of vision systems that can distinguish and track the target tissues in dynamic surgical environments and lack of intelligent algorithms that can execute complex surgical tasks. We demonstrate in vivo supervised autonomous soft tissue surgery in an open surgical setting, enabled by a plenoptic three-dimensional and near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) imaging system and an autonomous suturing algorithm. Inspired by the best human surgical practices, a computer program generates a plan to complete complex surgical tasks on deformable soft tissue, such as suturing and intestinal anastomosis. We compared metrics of anastomosis-including the consistency of suturing informed by the average suture spacing, the pressure at which the anastomosis leaked, the number of mistakes that required removing the needle from the tissue, completion time, and lumen reduction in intestinal anastomoses-between our supervised autonomous system, manual laparoscopic surgery, and clinically used RAS approaches. Despite dynamic scene changes and tissue movement during surgery, we demonstrate that the outcome of supervised autonomous procedures is superior to surgery performed by expert surgeons and RAS techniques in ex vivo porcine tissues and in living pigs. These results demonstrate the potential for autonomous robots to improve the efficacy, consistency, functional outcome, and accessibility of surgical techniques. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Autonomous excursions using tablets and smartphones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marra, Wouter; Groothengel, Marin; van de Grint, Liesbeth; Karssenberg, Derek; Stouthamer, Esther

2017-04-01

Excursions and fieldworks are valuable components for geosciences education. However, field activities can be time consuming for teachers and pose a logistical challenge to fit in regular courses. Furthermore, the participation of students diminishes with group size in case of instructor-led outings. We are developing excursions that students can follow autonomously without a teacher present, using instructions, assignments and background information on tablets and smartphones. The goal of this approach is to increase the level of active participation, and to reduce logistical and time table issues. We developed a bike-excursion about the landscape and geology in the vicinity of our University. Such excursion was on the wish-list for several years, but posed a logistical challenge for the group of about 80 students in the available timeslot. In our approach, students had a time-window of two weeks in which they could finish the excursion in groups of 2. 8-Inch tablets with water- and shock-proof cases were available for this excursion. For the excursion we used three apps: 1) IZI-Travel for providing the route, spoken navigation instructions, spoken explanations at stops, location-related images, assignments as text, and multiple-choose questions. 2) PDF-Maps for providing geo-referenced maps. 3) ESRI Collector which the students used to digitize polygons on a map, and to collect geo-referenced photos with explanation. These data were answers to assignments and were later used in a tutorial on campus. The assignments where students had to collect data, and the small group size (pairs) increased the level of active participation. The use of a final tutorial on campus was important for the autonomous excursion, as it gave students the opportunity to discuss their observations and questions with their teacher. The developed teaching materials are available online to use and adapt for others. Parts could be useful for other universities and schools in the vicinity of

University Language Policies in Estonia and Sweden: Exploring the Interplay between English and National Languages in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soler, Josep; Björkman, Beyza; Kuteeva, Maria

2018-01-01

As universities seek to become more international, their need to engage with a wider range of languages, particularly English, seems more prominent. At the same time, universities are also regarded by many stakeholders as key institutions to preserve a given national language and culture. This apparent tension makes universities a fruitful ground…

Challenges in the Adoption and Use of OpenCourseWare: Experience of the United Nations University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Brendan F. D.; Grover, Velma I.; Janowski, Tomasz; van Lavieren, Hanneke; Ojo, Adegboyega; Schmidt, Philipp

2009-01-01

This paper provides insights on the adoption or use of OpenCourseWare (OCW) to support broader research, training and institutional capacity development goals, based on the experience of the United Nations University. Specifically, it explains the strategic context for the use of OCW in the university through its related efforts in the area of…

Autonomous Learner Model Resource Book

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betts, George T.; Carey, Robin J.; Kapushion, Blanche M.

2016-01-01

"Autonomous Learner Model Resource Book" includes activities and strategies to support the development of autonomous learners. More than 40 activities are included, all geared to the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development of students. Teachers may use these activities and strategies with the entire class, small groups, or…

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the Siwai and Buin districts of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

PubMed

Waruruai, Julie; Sipana, Beulah; Koch, Michael; Barrows, Louis R; Matainaho, Teatulohi K; Rai, Prem P

2011-11-18

Traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use in many regions of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is poorly described and rapidly disappearing. A program initiated by the University of Papua New Guinea to systematically document and preserve traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use was initiated with WHO help in 2001. To document and compare medicinal plant use in the Siwai and Buin districts of the Island of Bougainville. Siwai and Buin districts represent two adjacent geographic regions of differing language traditions. This report is a combination of two University of Papua New Guinea reports generated using a University of Papua New Guinea and Papua New Guinea Department of Health approved survey questionnaire "Information sheet on traditional herbal reparations and medicinal plants of Papua New Guinea". Although Siwai and Buin districts are adjacent in Southern Bougainville, there is considerable variation in the specific plants used medicinally and the specific uses of those plants that are used commonly in the two regions. In addition, many of the plants used in the region are widely distributed species that are used medicinally in other settings. Nevertheless, the high endemicity of plants and the extraordinary cultural diversity in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville has yielded description of the medicinal use of many plants that have not previously been reported in the wider scientific literature. Efforts to document and preserve traditional knowledge of plant use in Papua New Guinea have yielded important new records of plants with potential application in the provision of health care for a developing nation with an under developed Western style rural health care system. This report documents substantial commonality in the general modes of medicinal plant preparation and in the health care applications of plant use in the Siwai and Buin traditions, however, there was considerable difference noted in the particular uses of

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the Siwai and Buin districts of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville

PubMed Central

Waruruai, Julie; Sipana, Beuluah; Koch, Michael; Barrows, Louis R.; Matainaho, Teatulohi K.; Rai, Prem P

2011-01-01

Ethnopharmacological relevance Traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use in many regions of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is poorly described and rapidly disappearing. A program initiated by the University of Papua New Guinea to systematically document and preserve traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use was initiated with WHO help in 2001. Aim of the study To document and compare medicinal plant use in the Siwai and Buin Districts of the Island of Bougainville. Siwai and Buin districts represent two adjacent geographic regions of differing language traditions. Materials and methods This report is a combination of two University of Papua New Guinea reports generated using a University of Papua New Guinea and Papua New Guinea Department of Health approved survey questionnaire “Information sheet on traditional herbal reparations and medicinal plants of Papua New Guinea”. Results Although Siwai and Buin Districts are adjacent in Southern Bougainville, there is considerable variation in the specific plants used medicinally and the specific uses of those plants that are used commonly in the two regions. In addition, many of the plants used in the region are widely distributed species that are used medicinally in other settings. Nevertheless, the high endemicity of plants and the extraordinary cultural diversity in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville has yielded description of the medicinal use of many plants that have not previously been reported in the wider scientific literature. Conclusions Efforts to document and preserve traditional knowledge of plant use in Papua New Guinea have yielded important new records of plants with potential application in the provision of health care for a developing nation with an under developed Western style rural health care system. This report documents substantial commonality in the general modes of medicinal plant preparation and in the health care applications of plant use in the Siwai

Sustainable and Autonomic Space Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G.; Sterritt, Roy; Rouff, Christopher; Rash, James L.; Truszkowski, Walter

2006-01-01

Visions for future space exploration have long term science missions in sight, resulting in the need for sustainable missions. Survivability is a critical property of sustainable systems and may be addressed through autonomicity, an emerging paradigm for self-management of future computer-based systems based on inspiration from the human autonomic nervous system. This paper examines some of the ongoing research efforts to realize these survivable systems visions, with specific emphasis on developments in Autonomic Policies.

Autonomous software: Myth or magic?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allan, A.; Naylor, T.; Saunders, E. S.

2008-03-01

We discuss work by the eSTAR project which demonstrates a fully closed loop autonomous system for the follow up of possible micro-lensing anomalies. Not only are the initial micro-lensing detections followed up in real time, but ongoing events are prioritised and continually monitored, with the returned data being analysed automatically. If the ``smart software'' running the observing campaign detects a planet-like anomaly, further follow-up will be scheduled autonomously and other telescopes and telescope networks alerted to the possible planetary detection. We further discuss the implications of this, and how such projects can be used to build more general autonomous observing and control systems.

Cybersecurity for aerospace autonomous systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straub, Jeremy

2015-05-01

High profile breaches have occurred across numerous information systems. One area where attacks are particularly problematic is autonomous control systems. This paper considers the aerospace information system, focusing on elements that interact with autonomous control systems (e.g., onboard UAVs). It discusses the trust placed in the autonomous systems and supporting systems (e.g., navigational aids) and how this trust can be validated. Approaches to remotely detect the UAV compromise, without relying on the onboard software (on a potentially compromised system) as part of the process are discussed. How different levels of autonomy (task-based, goal-based, mission-based) impact this remote characterization is considered.

Autonomous and controlled motivation and interpersonal therapy for depression: moderating role of recurrent depression.

PubMed

McBride, Carolina; Zuroff, David C; Ravitz, Paula; Koestner, Richard; Moskowitz, Debbie S; Quilty, Lena; Bagby, R Michael

2010-11-01

We examined the moderating role of depression recurrence on the relation between autonomous and controlled motivation and interpersonal therapy (IPT) treatment outcome. The investigation was conducted in an out-patient mood disorders clinic of a large university-affiliated psychiatric hospital. The sample represents a subset of a larger naturalistic database of patients seen in the clinic. We examined 74 depressed out-patients who received 16 sessions of IPT. The Beck Depression Inventory-II, administered at pre-treatment and post-treatment, served as a measure of depressive severity. Measures of motivation and therapeutic alliance were collected at the third session. In the entire sample, both the therapeutic alliance and autonomous motivation predicted higher probability of achieving remission; however, the relation differed for those with highly recurrent depression compared to those with less recurrent depression. For those with highly recurrent depression, the therapeutic alliance predicted remission whereas autonomous motivation had no effect on remission. For those with less recurrent depression, both autonomous motivation and the therapeutic alliance predicted better achieving remission. Controlled motivation emerged as a significant negative predictor of remission across both groups. Taken together, these results highlight the possible use of motivation theory to inform and enrich therapeutic conceptualizations and interventions in clinical practice, but also point to the importance of modifying interventions based on the chronicity of a client's depression.

Debate: Limitations on universality: the "right to health" and the necessity of legal nationality

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The "right to health," including access to basic healthcare, has been recognized as a universal human right through a number of international agreements. Attempts to protect this ideal, however, have relied on states as the guarantor of rights and have subsequently ignored stateless individuals, or those lacking legal nationality in any nation-state. While a legal nationality alone is not sufficient to guarantee that a right to healthcare is accessible, an absence of any legal nationality is almost certainly an obstacle in most cases. There are millions of so-called stateless individuals around the globe who are, in effect, denied medical citizenship in their countries of residence. A central motivating factor for this essay is the fact that statelessness as a concept is largely absent from the medical literature. The goal for this discussion, therefore, is primarily to illustrate the need for further monitoring of health access issues by the medical community, and for a great deal more research into the effects of statelessness upon access to healthcare. This is important both as a theoretical issue, in light of the recognition by many of healthcare as a universal right, as well as an empirical fact that requires further exploration and amelioration. Discussion Most discussions of the human right to health assume that every human being has legal nationality, but in reality there are at least 11 to 12 million stateless individuals worldwide who are often unable to access basic healthcare. The examples of the Roma in Europe, the hill tribes of Thailand, and many Palestinians in Israel highlight the negative health impacts associated with statelessness. Summary Stateless individuals often face an inability to access the most basic healthcare, much less the "highest attainable standard of health" outlined by international agreements. Rather than presuming nationality, statelessness must be recognized by the medical community. Additionally, it is imperative

Small Autonomous Aircraft Servo Health Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quintero, Steven

2008-01-01

Small air vehicles offer challenging power, weight, and volume constraints when considering implementation of system health monitoring technologies. In order to develop a testbed for monitoring the health and integrity of control surface servos and linkages, the Autonomous Aircraft Servo Health Monitoring system has been designed for small Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms to detect problematic behavior from servos and the air craft structures they control, This system will serve to verify the structural integrity of an aircraft's servos and linkages and thereby, through early detection of a problematic situation, minimize the chances of an aircraft accident. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's rotary-winged UAV has an Airborne Power management unit that is responsible for regulating, distributing, and monitoring the power supplied to the UAV's avionics. The current sensing technology utilized by the Airborne Power Management system is also the basis for the Servo Health system. The Servo Health system measures the current draw of the servos while the servos are in Motion in order to quantify the servo health. During a preflight check, deviations from a known baseline behavior can be logged and their causes found upon closer inspection of the aircraft. The erratic behavior nay include binding as a result of dirt buildup or backlash caused by looseness in the mechanical linkages. Moreover, the Servo Health system will allow elusive problems to be identified and preventative measures taken to avoid unnecessary hazardous conditions in small autonomous aircraft.

Autonomous control systems - Architecture and fundamental issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antsaklis, P. J.; Passino, K. M.; Wang, S. J.

1988-01-01

A hierarchical functional autonomous controller architecture is introduced. In particular, the architecture for the control of future space vehicles is described in detail; it is designed to ensure the autonomous operation of the control system and it allows interaction with the pilot and crew/ground station, and the systems on board the autonomous vehicle. The fundamental issues in autonomous control system modeling and analysis are discussed. It is proposed to utilize a hybrid approach to modeling and analysis of autonomous systems. This will incorporate conventional control methods based on differential equations and techniques for the analysis of systems described with a symbolic formalism. In this way, the theory of conventional control can be fully utilized. It is stressed that autonomy is the design requirement and intelligent control methods appear at present, to offer some of the necessary tools to achieve autonomy. A conventional approach may evolve and replace some or all of the `intelligent' functions. It is shown that in addition to conventional controllers, the autonomous control system incorporates planning, learning, and FDI (fault detection and identification).

Civic Education Policies: Their Effect on University Students' Spirit of Nationalism and Patriotism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nurdin, Encep Syarief

2017-01-01

This study aims to describe the effect of implementing Civic Education policies in a university on the development of students' sense of nationalism and patriotism; this is analysed from the perspective of Edward III's public policy implementation dimension and employs a quantitative approach based on the descriptive verification method. The…

Information-Seeking Behaviour of Prospective Geography Teachers at the National University of Lesotho

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitso, Constance; Fourie, Ina

2014-01-01

Introduction: This paper reports a study on information-seeking behaviour of prospective geography teachers at the National University of Lesotho based on their experiences during teaching practice. It is part of a larger doctoral study on information needs and information-seeking patterns of secondary level geography teachers in Lesotho. Method:…

A simple, inexpensive, and effective implementation of a vision-guided autonomous robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tippetts, Beau; Lillywhite, Kirt; Fowers, Spencer; Dennis, Aaron; Lee, Dah-Jye; Archibald, James

2006-10-01

This paper discusses a simple, inexpensive, and effective implementation of a vision-guided autonomous robot. This implementation is a second year entrance for Brigham Young University students to the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition. The objective of the robot was to navigate a course constructed of white boundary lines and orange obstacles for the autonomous competition. A used electric wheelchair was used as the robot base. The wheelchair was purchased from a local thrift store for $28. The base was modified to include Kegresse tracks using a friction drum system. This modification allowed the robot to perform better on a variety of terrains, resolving issues with last year's design. In order to control the wheelchair and retain the robust motor controls already on the wheelchair the wheelchair joystick was simply removed and replaced with a printed circuit board that emulated joystick operation and was capable of receiving commands through a serial port connection. Three different algorithms were implemented and compared: a purely reactive approach, a potential fields approach, and a machine learning approach. Each of the algorithms used color segmentation methods to interpret data from a digital camera in order to identify the features of the course. This paper will be useful to those interested in implementing an inexpensive vision-based autonomous robot.

Hospital autonomy: the experience of Kenyatta National Hospital.

PubMed

Collins, D; Njeru, G; Meme, J; Newbrander, W

1999-01-01

An increasing number of countries are exploring the introduction or expansion of autonomous hospitals as one of the numerous health reforms they are introducing to their health system. Hospital autonomy is one of the forms of decentralization that is focused on a specific institution rather than on a political unit. It has gained much interest because it is an attempt to amalgamate the best elements of the public and private sectors in how a hospital is governed, managed and financed. This paper reviews the key elements of the concept of hospital autonomy, the reasons for its expanded use in many countries and a specific example of making a major teaching hospital autonomous in Kenya. A review of the successful experience of Kenyatta National Hospital and its process of introducing autonomy, with regard to governance, operations and management, and finances, lead to several conclusions on replicability. The legal framework is a critical element for successfully structuring the autonomous hospital. Additionally, success is highly dependent on the extent to which there is adequate funding during the process of attaining autonomy due to the length of the transition period needed. Autonomy must be granted within the context of the national health system and national health objectives and be consistent with those aims and their underlying societal values. Finally, as with decentralization, success is dependent upon the preparation done with the systems and management necessary for the proper governance and operation of autonomous hospitals.

Thoughts on the Role of Government in the Development of World-Class Universities in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guangcai, Yan

2011-01-01

Looking at the rise of world-class universities through history, creating an institutional environment in which universities are relatively autonomous, while also ensuring effective material support from the government is essential for the formation of world-class universities. It is worth examining the deteriorating academic environment in China…

Optimized autonomous space in-situ sensor web for volcano monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Song, W.-Z.; Shirazi, B.; Huang, R.; Xu, M.; Peterson, N.; LaHusen, R.; Pallister, J.; Dzurisin, D.; Moran, S.; Lisowski, M.; Kedar, S.; Chien, S.; Webb, F.; Kiely, A.; Doubleday, J.; Davies, A.; Pieri, D.

2010-01-01

In response to NASA's announced requirement for Earth hazard monitoring sensor-web technology, a multidisciplinary team involving sensor-network experts (Washington State University), space scientists (JPL), and Earth scientists (USGS Cascade Volcano Observatory (CVO)), have developed a prototype of dynamic and scalable hazard monitoring sensor-web and applied it to volcano monitoring. The combined Optimized Autonomous Space In-situ Sensor-web (OASIS) has two-way communication capability between ground and space assets, uses both space and ground data for optimal allocation of limited bandwidth resources on the ground, and uses smart management of competing demands for limited space assets. It also enables scalability and seamless infusion of future space and in-situ assets into the sensor-web. The space and in-situ control components of the system are integrated such that each element is capable of autonomously tasking the other. The ground in-situ was deployed into the craters and around the flanks of Mount St. Helens in July 2009, and linked to the command and control of the Earth Observing One (EO-1) satellite. ?? 2010 IEEE.

Autonomous Assembly of Modular Structures in Space and on Extraterrestrial Locations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alhorn, Dean C.

2005-02-01

The new U.S. National Vision for Space Exploration requires many new enabling technologies to accomplish the goals of space commercialization and returning humans to the moon and extraterrestrial environments. Traditionally, flight elements are complete sub-systems requiring humans to complete the integration and assembly. These bulky structures also require the use of heavy launch vehicles to send the units to a desired location. This philosophy necessitates a high degree of safety, numerous space walks at a significant cost. Future space mission costs must be reduced and safety increased to reasonably achieve exploration goals. One proposed concept is the autonomous assembly of space structures. This concept is an affordable, reliable solution to in-space and extraterrestrial assembly. Assembly is autonomously performed when two components join after determining that specifications are correct. Local sensors continue monitor joint integrity post assembly, which is critical for safety and structural reliability. Achieving this concept requires a change in space structure design philosophy and the development of innovative technologies to perform autonomous assembly. Assembly of large space structures will require significant numbers of integrity sensors. Thus simple, low-cost sensors are integral to the success of this concept. This paper addresses these issues and proposes a novel concept for assembling space structures autonomously. Core technologies required to achieve in space assembly are presented. These core technologies are critical to the goal of utilizing space in a cost efficient and safe manner. Additionally, these novel technologies can be applied to other systems both on earth and extraterrestrial environments.

Autonomous Assembly of Modular Structures in Space and on Extraterrestrial Locations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alhorn, Dean C.

2005-01-01

The new U.S. National Vision for Space Exploration requires many new enabling technologies to accomplish the goals of space commercialization and returning humans to the moon and extraterrestrial environments. Traditionally, flight elements are complete subsystems requiring humans to complete the integration and assembly. These bulky structures also require the use of heavy launch vehicles to send the units to a desired location. This philosophy necessitates a high degree of safety, numerous space walks at a significant cost. Future space mission costs must be reduced and safety increased to reasonably achieve exploration goals. One proposed concept is the autonomous assembly of space structures. This concept is an affordable, reliable solution to in-space and extraterrestrial assembly. Assembly is autonomously performed when two components join after determining that specifications are correct. Local sensors continue monitor joint integrity post assembly, which is critical for safety and structural reliability. Achieving this concept requires a change in space structure design philosophy and the development of innovative technologies to perform autonomous assembly. Assembly of large space structures will require significant numbers of integrity sensors. Thus simple, low-cost sensors are integral to the success of this concept. This paper addresses these issues and proposes a novel concept for assembling space structures autonomously. Core technologies required to achieve in space assembly are presented. These core technologies are critical to the goal of utilizing space in a cost efficient and safe manner. Additionally, these novel technologies can be applied to other systems both on earth and extraterrestrial environments.

Temperature as a universal resetting cue for mammalian circadian oscillators.

PubMed

Buhr, Ethan D; Yoo, Seung-Hee; Takahashi, Joseph S

2010-10-15

Environmental temperature cycles are a universal entraining cue for all circadian systems at the organismal level with the exception of homeothermic vertebrates. We report here that resistance to temperature entrainment is a property of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) network and is not a cell-autonomous property of mammalian clocks. This differential sensitivity to temperature allows the SCN to drive circadian rhythms in body temperature, which can then act as a universal cue for the entrainment of cell-autonomous oscillators throughout the body. Pharmacological experiments show that network interactions in the SCN are required for temperature resistance and that the heat shock pathway is integral to temperature resetting and temperature compensation in mammalian cells. These results suggest that the evolutionarily ancient temperature resetting response can be used in homeothermic animals to enhance internal circadian synchronization.

AN OFFSET FOR AFSOF: COMBINING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS WITH SWARM EMPLOYMENT

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

teams composed of autonomous robot players compete in games of soccer .58 Strongly coordinated centralized systems are similar to the distributed...goal in a dynamically changing environment. This is a very active area of research and exemplified by the robot soccer league, a competition where...University, 2013, 23. 63 Massie, Andrew. “Autonomy and the Future Force” Strategic Studies Quarterly, Summer 2016, 146. 64 Zacharias, Greg. "Autonomus

Autonomous Operations System: Development and Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toro Medina, Jaime A.; Wilkins, Kim N.; Walker, Mark; Stahl, Gerald M.

2016-01-01

Autonomous control systems provides the ability of self-governance beyond the conventional control system. As the complexity of mechanical and electrical systems increases, there develops a natural drive for developing robust control systems to manage complicated operations. By closing the bridge between conventional automated systems to knowledge based self-awareness systems, nominal control of operations can evolve into relying on safe critical mitigation processes to support any off-nominal behavior. Current research and development efforts lead by the Autonomous Propellant Loading (APL) group at NASA Kennedy Space Center aims to improve cryogenic propellant transfer operations by developing an automated control and health monitoring system. As an integrated systems, the center aims to produce an Autonomous Operations System (AOS) capable of integrating health management operations with automated control to produce a fully autonomous system.

Autonomous Power System intelligent diagnosis and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringer, Mark J.; Quinn, Todd M.; Merolla, Anthony

1991-01-01

The Autonomous Power System (APS) project at NASA Lewis Research Center is designed to demonstrate the abilities of integrated intelligent diagnosis, control, and scheduling techniques to space power distribution hardware. Knowledge-based software provides a robust method of control for highly complex space-based power systems that conventional methods do not allow. The project consists of three elements: the Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) for fault diagnosis and control, the Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler (AIPS) to determine system configuration, and power hardware (Brassboard) to simulate a space based power system. The operation of the Autonomous Power System as a whole is described and the responsibilities of the three elements - APEX, AIPS, and Brassboard - are characterized. A discussion of the methodologies used in each element is provided. Future plans are discussed for the growth of the Autonomous Power System.

Autonomous power system intelligent diagnosis and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringer, Mark J.; Quinn, Todd M.; Merolla, Anthony

1991-01-01

The Autonomous Power System (APS) project at NASA Lewis Research Center is designed to demonstrate the abilities of integrated intelligent diagnosis, control, and scheduling techniques to space power distribution hardware. Knowledge-based software provides a robust method of control for highly complex space-based power systems that conventional methods do not allow. The project consists of three elements: the Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) for fault diagnosis and control, the Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler (AIPS) to determine system configuration, and power hardware (Brassboard) to simulate a space based power system. The operation of the Autonomous Power System as a whole is described and the responsibilities of the three elements - APEX, AIPS, and Brassboard - are characterized. A discussion of the methodologies used in each element is provided. Future plans are discussed for the growth of the Autonomous Power System.

Autonomous Cryogenic Load Operations: KSC Autonomous Test Engineer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shrading, Nicholas J.

2012-01-01

The KSC Autonomous Test Engineer (KATE) program has a long history at KSC. Now a part of the Autonomous Cryogenic Load Operations (ACLO) mission, this software system has been sporadically developed over the past 20+ years. Originally designed to provide health and status monitoring for a simple water-based fluid system, it was proven to be a capable autonomous test engineer for determining sources of failure in. the system, As part.of a new goal to provide this same anomaly-detection capability for a complicated cryogenic fluid system, software engineers, physicists, interns and KATE experts are working to upgrade the software capabilities and graphical user interface. Much progress was made during this effort to improve KATE. A display ofthe entire cryogenic system's graph, with nodes for components and edges for their connections, was added to the KATE software. A searching functionality was added to the new graph display, so that users could easily center their screen on specific components. The GUI was also modified so that it displayed information relevant to the new project goals. In addition, work began on adding new pneumatic and electronic subsystems into the KATE knowledgebase, so that it could provide health and status monitoring for those systems. Finally, many fixes for bugs, memory leaks, and memory errors were implemented and the system was moved into a state in which it could be presented to stakeholders. Overall, the KATE system was improved and necessary additional features were added so that a presentation of the program and its functionality in the next few months would be a success.

The NASA/Army Autonomous Rotorcraft Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whalley, M.; Freed, M.; Takahashi, M.; Christian, D.; Patterson-Hine, A.; Schulein, G.; Harris, R.

2002-01-01

An overview of the NASA Ames Research Center Autonomous Rotorcraft Project (ARP) is presented. The project brings together several technologies to address NASA and US Army autonomous vehicle needs, including a reactive planner for mission planning and execution, control system design incorporating a detailed understanding of the platform dynamics, and health monitoring and diagnostics. A candidate reconnaissance and surveillance mission is described. The autonomous agent architecture and its application to the candidate mission are presented. Details of the vehicle hardware and software development are provided.

GOATS 2008 Autonomous, Adaptive Multistatic Acoustic Sensing

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-30

To develop net-centric, autonomous underwater vehicle sensing concepts for littoral MCM and ASW, exploiting collaborative and environmentally...unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES code 1 only 14. ABSTRACT To develop net-centric, autonomous underwater vehicle sensing concepts for littoral MCM and...of autonomous underwater vehicle networks as platforms for new sonar concepts exploring the full 3-D acoustic environment of shallow water (SW) and

Revitalizing Qatar's National University. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinberg, Paul

2009-01-01

Although Qatar University (QU) had been well regarded in the past, its performance had deteriorated by 2003, and the country's leadership was concerned that the university was not meeting Qatar's needs. From 2003 to 2007, the university led a reform process facilitated by RAND and outside experts, which clarified QU's mission and reformed QU's…

Optimized Autonomous Space In-situ Sensor-Web for volcano monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Song, W.-Z.; Shirazi, B.; Kedar, S.; Chien, S.; Webb, F.; Tran, D.; Davis, A.; Pieri, D.; LaHusen, R.; Pallister, J.; Dzurisin, D.; Moran, S.; Lisowski, M.

2008-01-01

In response to NASA's announced requirement for Earth hazard monitoring sensor-web technology, a multidisciplinary team involving sensor-network experts (Washington State University), space scientists (JPL), and Earth scientists (USGS Cascade Volcano Observatory (CVO)), is developing a prototype dynamic and scaleable hazard monitoring sensor-web and applying it to volcano monitoring. The combined Optimized Autonomous Space -In-situ Sensor-web (OASIS) will have two-way communication capability between ground and space assets, use both space and ground data for optimal allocation of limited power and bandwidth resources on the ground, and use smart management of competing demands for limited space assets. It will also enable scalability and seamless infusion of future space and in-situ assets into the sensor-web. The prototype will be focused on volcano hazard monitoring at Mount St. Helens, which has been active since October 2004. The system is designed to be flexible and easily configurable for many other applications as well. The primary goals of the project are: 1) integrating complementary space (i.e., Earth Observing One (EO-1) satellite) and in-situ (ground-based) elements into an interactive, autonomous sensor-web; 2) advancing sensor-web power and communication resource management technology; and 3) enabling scalability for seamless infusion of future space and in-situ assets into the sensor-web. To meet these goals, we are developing: 1) a test-bed in-situ array with smart sensor nodes capable of making autonomous data acquisition decisions; 2) efficient self-organization algorithm of sensor-web topology to support efficient data communication and command control; 3) smart bandwidth allocation algorithms in which sensor nodes autonomously determine packet priorities based on mission needs and local bandwidth information in real-time; and 4) remote network management and reprogramming tools. The space and in-situ control components of the system will be

Are University Students in Singapore Meeting the International and National Recommended Daily Servings of Fruits and Vegetables?

PubMed

Lim, Raymond Boon Tar; Tham, Dede Kam Tyng; Müller-Riemenschneider, Falk; Wong, Mee Lian

2017-04-01

Data are lacking on fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among young adults in the Asia-Pacific region. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of students who met the international and national recommendation of daily consumption of 5 and 4 FV servings, respectively, in a university in Singapore and the factors associated with meeting the national recommendation. A cross-sectional survey using proportional stratified random sampling was conducted on 884 undergraduates in 2013. The prevalence of meeting the international and national recommendation was 13.6% and 27.1%, respectively. The significant factors of meeting national recommendation were those from higher socioeconomic status, those making conscious effort to eat food high in fiber, those not skipping breakfast, those having a lower frequency of deep fried food consumption and those with higher meal frequency. Behavioral and structural interventions to educate, motivate and nudge university students to promote FV consumption are required in Singapore.

Autonomic neuropathy

MedlinePlus

... Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 107. Shy ME. Peripheral neuropathies. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil ... Editorial team. Autonomic Nervous System Disorders Read more Peripheral Nerve Disorders Read more NIH MedlinePlus Magazine Read more A. ...

Advancing Autonomous Operations for Deep Space Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haddock, Angie T.; Stetson, Howard K.

2014-01-01

Starting in Jan 2012, the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Autonomous Mission Operations (AMO) Project began to investigate the ability to create and execute "single button" crew initiated autonomous activities [1]. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) designed and built a fluid transfer hardware test-bed to use as a sub-system target for the investigations of intelligent procedures that would command and control a fluid transfer test-bed, would perform self-monitoring during fluid transfers, detect anomalies and faults, isolate the fault and recover the procedures function that was being executed, all without operator intervention. In addition to the development of intelligent procedures, the team is also exploring various methods for autonomous activity execution where a planned timeline of activities are executed autonomously and also the initial analysis of crew procedure development. This paper will detail the development of intelligent procedures for the NASA MSFC Autonomous Fluid Transfer System (AFTS) as well as the autonomous plan execution capabilities being investigated. Manned deep space missions, with extreme communication delays with Earth based assets, presents significant challenges for what the on-board procedure content will encompass as well as the planned execution of the procedures.

A Struggle of Civilization against Barbarism: About Universities as Autonomous Zones

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drainville, André C.

2016-01-01

This paper takes a longue durée look at universities at the core of the world economy, where the modern idea of intellectuals as trustees of the reflexive structures of society has achieved its most enduring institutional form. To wrest thinking away from a conformism that makes us see universities as nothing more than organisations amongst…

Information for Successful Interaction with Autonomous Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Johnson, Kathy A.

2003-01-01

Interaction in heterogeneous mission operations teams is not well matched to classical models of coordination with autonomous systems. We describe methods of loose coordination and information management in mission operations. We describe an information agent and information management tool suite for managing information from many sources, including autonomous agents. We present an integrated model of levels of complexity of agent and human behavior, which shows types of information processing and points of potential error in agent activities. We discuss the types of information needed for diagnosing problems and planning interactions with an autonomous system. We discuss types of coordination for which designs are needed for autonomous system functions.

Autonomic control of the eye

PubMed Central

McDougal, David H.; Gamlin, Paul D.

2016-01-01

The autonomic nervous system influences numerous ocular functions. It does this by way of parasympathetic innervation from postganglionic fibers that originate from neurons in the ciliary and pterygopalatine ganglia, and by way of sympathetic innervation from postganglionic fibers that originate from neurons in the superior cervical ganglion. Ciliary ganglion neurons project to the ciliary body and the sphincter pupillae muscle of the iris to control ocular accommodation and pupil constriction, respectively. Superior cervical ganglion neurons project to the dilator pupillae muscle of the iris to control pupil dilation. Ocular blood flow is controlled both via direct autonomic influences on the vasculature of the optic nerve, choroid, ciliary body, and iris, as well as via indirect influences on retinal blood flow. In mammals, this vasculature is innervated by vasodilatory fibers from the pterygopalatine ganglion, and by vasoconstrictive fibers from the superior cervical ganglion. Intraocular pressure is regulated primarily through the balance of aqueous humor formation and outflow. Autonomic regulation of ciliary body blood vessels and the ciliary epithelium is an important determinant of aqueous humor formation; autonomic regulation of the trabecular meshwork and episcleral blood vessels is an important determinant of aqueous humor outflow. These tissues are all innervated by fibers from the pterygopalatine and superior cervical ganglia. In addition to these classical autonomic pathways, trigeminal sensory fibers exert local, intrinsic influences on many of these regions of the eye, as well as on some neurons within the ciliary and pterygopalatine ganglia. PMID:25589275

University Student and Teacher Perceptions of Teacher Roles in Promoting Autonomous Language Learning with Technology outside the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Chun; Yeung, Yuk; Hu, Jingjing

2016-01-01

Helping students to become autonomous learners, who actively utilize technologies for learning outside the classroom, is important for successful language learning. Teachers, as significant social agents who shape students' intellectual and social experiences, have a critical role to play. This study examined students' and teachers' perceptions of…

Autonomic neuropathy in an alcoholic population.

PubMed

Barter, F; Tanner, A R

1987-12-01

Autonomic nervous system integrity has been assessed in 30 alcoholic subjects and 30 age-sex matched controls using five simple tests of cardiovascular responses. There was evidence of parasympathetic neuropathy alone in five of the alcoholic subjects (16%) and of combined parasympathetic and sympathetic neuropathy in an additional six (20%). None of the controls showed any abnormality. Within the alcoholic group, those with autonomic neuropathy were older, were more likely to be female and to have established alcoholic liver disease. Symptoms were a poor guide to the presence or absence of autonomic neuropathy.

Development of Autonomous Aerobraking - Phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murri, Daniel G.

2013-01-01

Phase 1 of the Development of Autonomous Aerobraking (AA) Assessment investigated the technical capability of transferring the processes of aerobraking maneuver (ABM) decision-making (currently performed on the ground by an extensive workforce and communicated to the spacecraft via the deep space network) to an efficient flight software algorithm onboard the spacecraft. This document describes Phase 2 of this study, which was a 12-month effort to improve and rigorously test the AA Development Software developed in Phase 1. Aerobraking maneuver; Autonomous Aerobraking; Autonomous Aerobraking Development Software; Deep Space Network; NASA Engineering and Safety Center

Autonomous Science Analysis with the New Millennium Program-Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doggett, T.; Davies, A. G.; Castano, R. A.; Baker, V. R.; Dohm, J. M.; Greeley, R.; Williams, K. K.; Chien, S.; Sherwood, R.

2002-12-01

The NASA New Millennium Program (NMP) is a testbed for new, high-risk technologies, including new software and hardware. The Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment (ASE) will fly on the Air Force Research Laboratory TechSat-21 mission in 2006 is such a NMP mission, and is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. TechSat-21 consists of three satellites, each equipped with X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) that will occupy a 13-day repeat track Earth orbit. The main science objectives of ASE are to demonstrate that process-related change detection and feature identification can be conducted autonomously during space flight, leading to autonomous onboard retargeting of the spacecraft. This mission will observe transient geological and environmental processes using SAR. Examples of geologic processes that may be observed and investigated include active volcanism, the movement of sand dunes and transient features in desert environments, water flooding, and the formation and break-up of lake ice. Science software onboard the spacecraft will allow autonomous processing and formation of SAR images and extraction of scientific information. The subsequent analyses, performed on images formed onboard from the SAR data, will include feature identification using scalable feature "templates" for each target, change detection through comparison of current and archived images, and science discovery, a search for other features of interest in each image. This approach results in obtaining the same science return for a reduced amount of resource use (such as downlink) when compared to that from a mission operating without ASE technology. Redundant data is discarded. The science-driven goals of ASE will evolve during the ASE mission through onboard replanning software that can re-task satellite operations. If necessary, as a result of a discovery made autonomously by onboard science processing, existing observation sequences will be pre-empted to

Cooperative Autonomous Robots for Reconnaissance

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-06

REPORT Cooperative Autonomous Robots for Reconnaissance 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Collaborating mobile robots equipped with WiFi ...Cooperative Autonomous Robots for Reconnaissance Report Title ABSTRACT Collaborating mobile robots equipped with WiFi transceivers are configured as a mobile...equipped with WiFi transceivers are configured as a mobile ad-hoc network. Algorithms are developed to take advantage of the distributed processing

Rice-obot 1: An intelligent autonomous mobile robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Defigueiredo, R.; Ciscon, L.; Berberian, D.

1989-01-01

The Rice-obot I is the first in a series of Intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (IAMRs) being developed at Rice University's Cooperative Intelligent Mobile Robots (CIMR) lab. The Rice-obot I is mainly designed to be a testbed for various robotic and AI techniques, and a platform for developing intelligent control systems for exploratory robots. Researchers present the need for a generalized environment capable of combining all of the control, sensory and knowledge systems of an IAMR. They introduce Lisp-Nodes as such a system, and develop the basic concepts of nodes, messages and classes. Furthermore, they show how the control system of the Rice-obot I is implemented as sub-systems in Lisp-Nodes.

Temperature as a universal resetting cue for mammalian circadian oscillators

PubMed Central

Buhr, Ethan D.; Yoo, Seung-Hee; Takahashi, Joseph S.

2011-01-01

Environmental temperature cycles are a universal entraining cue for all circadian systems at the organismal level with the exception of homeothermic vertebrates. We report here that resistance to temperature entrainment is a property of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) network and is not a cell autonomous property of mammalian clocks. This differential sensitivity to temperature allows the SCN to drive circadian rhythms in body temperature which can then act as a universal cue for the entrainment of cell autonomous oscillators throughout the body. Pharmacological experiments show that network interactions in the SCN are required for temperature resistance and that the heat shock pathway is integral to temperature resetting and temperature compensation in mammalian cells. These results suggest that the evolutionarily ancient temperature resetting response can be utilized in homeothermic animals to enhance internal circadian synchronization. PMID:20947768

Advancing Autonomous Operations Technologies for NASA Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruzen, Craig; Thompson, Jerry Todd

2013-01-01

This paper discusses the importance of implementing advanced autonomous technologies supporting operations of future NASA missions. The ability for crewed, uncrewed and even ground support systems to be capable of mission support without external interaction or control has become essential as space exploration moves further out into the solar system. The push to develop and utilize autonomous technologies for NASA mission operations stems in part from the need to reduce operations cost while improving and increasing capability and safety. This paper will provide examples of autonomous technologies currently in use at NASA and will identify opportunities to advance existing autonomous technologies that will enhance mission success by reducing operations cost, ameliorating inefficiencies, and mitigating catastrophic anomalies.

Advancing Autonomous Operations Technologies for NASA Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruzen, Craig; Thompson, Jerry T.

2013-01-01

This paper discusses the importance of implementing advanced autonomous technologies supporting operations of future NASA missions. The ability for crewed, uncrewed and even ground support systems to be capable of mission support without external interaction or control has become essential as space exploration moves further out into the solar system. The push to develop and utilize autonomous technologies for NASA mission operations stems in part from the need to reduce cost while improving and increasing capability and safety. This paper will provide examples of autonomous technologies currently in use at NASA and will identify opportunities to advance existing autonomous technologies that will enhance mission success by reducing cost, ameliorating inefficiencies, and mitigating catastrophic anomalies

Trigeminal autonomic cephalgias

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Summary points 1. Trigeminal autonomic cephalgias (TACs) are headaches/facial pains classified together based on:a suspected common pathophysiology involving the trigeminovascular system, the trigeminoparasympathetic reflex and centres controlling circadian rhythms;a similar clinical presentation of trigeminal pain, and autonomic activation. 2. There is much overlap in the diagnostic features of individual TACs. 3. In contrast, treatment response is relatively specific and aids in establishing a definitive diagnosis. 4. TACs are often presentations of underlying pathology; all patients should be imaged. 5. The aim of the article is to provide the reader with a broad introduction to, and an overview of, TACs. The reading list is extensive for the interested reader. PMID:26516482

Adaptive Control Allocation for Fault Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous Vehicles Casavola, A.; Garone, E. (2007) Adaptive Control Allocation for Fault Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous ...Adaptive Control Allocation for Fault Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous Vehicles 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6...Tolerant Overactuated Autonomous Vehicles 3.2 - 2 RTO-MP-AVT-145 UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED Control allocation problem (CAP) - Given a virtual input v(t

The Practices of Students' Generic Skills among Economics Students at National University of Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadiyanto; Suratno

2015-01-01

This study aimed to examine students' generic skills practices (communication, IT, numeracy, learning how to learn, problem solving, working with others, and subject-specific competencies) at National University of Indonesia (UI). Survey design with quantitative method was applied in this study. Questionnaires were distributed to 355 students at…

Research Institute for Autonomous Precision Guided Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-08

research on agile autonomous munitions, in direct support of the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/MN). The grant was awarded with a...Flight had (5) research task areas: 1. Aeroforms and Actuation for Small and Micro Agile Air Vehicles 2. Sensing for Autonomous Control and...critical barriers in AAM, but are not covered in the scope of the AVCAAF (Vision-Based Control of Agile, Autonomous Micro Air Vehicles and Small UAVs

Analysis of Risks in a Learning Management System: A Case Study in the Spanish National University of Distance Education (UNED)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vázquez-Cano, Esteban; Sevillano García, Ma. Luisa

2015-01-01

This article presents a research that examines the university students' risk perception when using a Learning Management System called "aLF" and implemented by the Spanish National University of Distance Education (UNED) for the development of its university distance studies. The development of comprehensive Learning Management Systems…

Autonomous Locator of Thermals (ALOFT) Autonomous Soaring Algorithm

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-03

estimator used on the NRL CICADA Mk 3 micro air vehicle [13]. An extended Kalman filter (EKF) was designed to estimate the airspeed sensor bias and...Boulder, 2007. ALOFT Autonomous Soaring Algorithm 31 13. A.D. Kahn and D.J. Edwards, “Navigation, Guidance and Control for the CICADA Expendable

A Ground Testbed to Advance US Capability in Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'Souza, Chris

2014-01-01

This project will advance the Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (AR&D) GNC system by testing it on hardware, particularly in a flight processor, with a goal of testing it in IPAS with the Waypoint L2 AR&D scenario. The entire Agency supports development of a Commodity for Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (CARD) as outlined in the Agency-wide Community of Practice whitepaper entitled: "A Strategy for the U.S. to Develop and Maintain a Mainstream Capability for Automated/Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking in Low Earth Orbit and Beyond". The whitepaper establishes that 1) the US is in a continual state of AR&D point-designs and therefore there is no US "off-the-shelf" AR&D capability in existence today, 2) the US has fallen behind our foreign counterparts particularly in the autonomy of AR&D systems, 3) development of an AR&D commodity is a national need that would benefit NASA, our commercial partners, and DoD, and 4) an initial estimate indicates that the development of a standardized AR&D capability could save the US approximately $60M for each AR&D project and cut each project's AR&D flight system implementation time in half.

Towards an Autonomous Vision-Based Unmanned Aerial System against Wildlife Poachers

PubMed Central

Olivares-Mendez, Miguel A.; Fu, Changhong; Ludivig, Philippe; Bissyandé, Tegawendé F.; Kannan, Somasundar; Zurad, Maciej; Annaiyan, Arun; Voos, Holger; Campoy, Pascual

2015-01-01

Poaching is an illegal activity that remains out of control in many countries. Based on the 2014 report of the United Nations and Interpol, the illegal trade of global wildlife and natural resources amounts to nearly $213 billion every year, which is even helping to fund armed conflicts. Poaching activities around the world are further pushing many animal species on the brink of extinction. Unfortunately, the traditional methods to fight against poachers are not enough, hence the new demands for more efficient approaches. In this context, the use of new technologies on sensors and algorithms, as well as aerial platforms is crucial to face the high increase of poaching activities in the last few years. Our work is focused on the use of vision sensors on UAVs for the detection and tracking of animals and poachers, as well as the use of such sensors to control quadrotors during autonomous vehicle following and autonomous landing. PMID:26703597

Towards an Autonomous Vision-Based Unmanned Aerial System against Wildlife Poachers.

PubMed

Olivares-Mendez, Miguel A; Fu, Changhong; Ludivig, Philippe; Bissyandé, Tegawendé F; Kannan, Somasundar; Zurad, Maciej; Annaiyan, Arun; Voos, Holger; Campoy, Pascual

2015-12-12

Poaching is an illegal activity that remains out of control in many countries. Based on the 2014 report of the United Nations and Interpol, the illegal trade of global wildlife and natural resources amounts to nearly $ 213 billion every year, which is even helping to fund armed conflicts. Poaching activities around the world are further pushing many animal species on the brink of extinction. Unfortunately, the traditional methods to fight against poachers are not enough, hence the new demands for more efficient approaches. In this context, the use of new technologies on sensors and algorithms, as well as aerial platforms is crucial to face the high increase of poaching activities in the last few years. Our work is focused on the use of vision sensors on UAVs for the detection and tracking of animals and poachers, as well as the use of such sensors to control quadrotors during autonomous vehicle following and autonomous landing.

System Engineering of Autonomous Space Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Michael D.; Johnson, Stephen B.; Trevino, Luis

2014-01-01

Human exploration of the solar system requires fully autonomous systems when travelling more than 5 light minutes from Earth. This autonomy is necessary to manage a large, complex spacecraft with limited crew members and skills available. The communication latency requires the vehicle to deal with events with only limited crew interaction in most cases. The engineering of these systems requires an extensive knowledge of the spacecraft systems, information theory, and autonomous algorithm characteristics. The characteristics of the spacecraft systems must be matched with the autonomous algorithm characteristics to reliably monitor and control the system. This presents a large system engineering problem. Recent work on product-focused, elegant system engineering will be applied to this application, looking at the full autonomy stack, the matching of autonomous systems to spacecraft systems, and the integration of different types of algorithms. Each of these areas will be outlined and a general approach defined for system engineering to provide the optimal solution to the given application context.

An introduction to autonomous control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antsaklis, Panos J.; Passino, Kevin M.; Wang, S. J.

1991-01-01

The functions, characteristics, and benefits of autonomous control are outlined. An autonomous control functional architecture for future space vehicles that incorporates the concepts and characteristics described is presented. The controller is hierarchical, with an execution level (the lowest level), coordination level (middle level), and management and organization level (highest level). The general characteristics of the overall architecture, including those of the three levels, are explained, and an example to illustrate their functions is given. Mathematical models for autonomous systems, including 'logical' discrete event system models, are discussed. An approach to the quantitative, systematic modeling, analysis, and design of autonomous controllers is also discussed. It is a hybrid approach since it uses conventional analysis techniques based on difference and differential equations and new techniques for the analysis of the systems described with a symbolic formalism such as finite automata. Some recent results from the areas of planning and expert systems, machine learning, artificial neural networks, and the area restructurable controls are briefly outlined.

Planning and Execution: The Spirit of Opportunity for Robust Autonomous Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muscettola, Nicola

2004-01-01

One of the most exciting endeavors pursued by human kind is the search for life in the Solar System and the Universe at large. NASA is leading this effort by designing, deploying and operating robotic systems that will reach planets, planet moons, asteroids and comets searching for water, organic building blocks and signs of past or present microbial life. None of these missions will be achievable without substantial advances in.the design, implementation and validation of autonomous control agents. These agents must be capable of robustly controlling a robotic explorer in a hostile environment with very limited or no communication with Earth. The talk focuses on work pursued at the NASA Ames Research center ranging from basic research on algorithm to deployed mission support systems. We will start by discussing how planning and scheduling technology derived from the Remote Agent experiment is being used daily in the operations of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. Planning and scheduling is also used as the fundamental paradigm at the core of our research in real-time autonomous agents. In particular, we will describe our efforts in the Intelligent Distributed Execution Architecture (IDEA), a multi-agent real-time architecture that exploits artificial intelligence planning as the core reasoning engine of an autonomous agent. We will also describe how the issue of plan robustness at execution can be addressed by novel constraint propagation algorithms capable of giving the tightest exact bounds on resource consumption or all possible executions of a flexible plan.

Universal Developmental Screening: Preliminary Studies in Galicia, Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarmiento Campos, Jose A.; Squires, Jane; Ponte, Jaime

2011-01-01

"A_Tempo" is a research project that is currently under development in Galicia, an autonomous community of Spain. Its main aim is to propose an effective universal screening procedure for early identification of developmental disorders in children from zero to three years of age who attend Galician pre-primary schools.…

Apoptosis and Self-Destruct: A Contribution to Autonomic Agents?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterritt, Roy; Hinchey, Mike

2004-01-01

Autonomic Computing (AC), a self-managing systems initiative based on the biological metaphor of the autonomic nervous system, is increasingly gaining momentum as the way forward in designing reliable systems. Agent technologies have been identified as a key enabler for engineering autonomicity in systems, both in terms of retrofitting autonomicity into legacy systems and designing new systems. The AC initiative provides an opportunity to consider other biological systems and principles in seeking new design strategies. This paper reports on one such investigation; utilizing the apoptosis metaphor of biological systems to provide a dynamic health indicator signal between autonomic agents.

Advanced Autonomous Systems for Space Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, A. R.; Smith, B. D.; Muscettola, N.; Barrett, A.; Mjolssness, E.; Clancy, D. J.

2002-01-01

New missions of exploration and space operations will require unprecedented levels of autonomy to successfully accomplish their objectives. Inherently high levels of complexity, cost, and communication distances will preclude the degree of human involvement common to current and previous space flight missions. With exponentially increasing capabilities of computer hardware and software, including networks and communication systems, a new balance of work is being developed between humans and machines. This new balance holds the promise of not only meeting the greatly increased space exploration requirements, but simultaneously dramatically reducing the design, development, test, and operating costs. New information technologies, which take advantage of knowledge-based software, model-based reasoning, and high performance computer systems, will enable the development of a new generation of design and development tools, schedulers, and vehicle and system health management capabilities. Such tools will provide a degree of machine intelligence and associated autonomy that has previously been unavailable. These capabilities are critical to the future of advanced space operations, since the science and operational requirements specified by such missions, as well as the budgetary constraints will limit the current practice of monitoring and controlling missions by a standing army of ground-based controllers. System autonomy capabilities have made great strides in recent years, for both ground and space flight applications. Autonomous systems have flown on advanced spacecraft, providing new levels of spacecraft capability and mission safety. Such on-board systems operate by utilizing model-based reasoning that provides the capability to work from high-level mission goals, while deriving the detailed system commands internally, rather than having to have such commands transmitted from Earth. This enables missions of such complexity and communication` distances as are not

A Primer on Autonomous Aerial Vehicle Design

PubMed Central

Coppejans, Hugo H. G.; Myburgh, Herman C.

2015-01-01

There is a large amount of research currently being done on autonomous micro-aerial vehicles (MAV), such as quadrotor helicopters or quadcopters. The ability to create a working autonomous MAV depends mainly on integrating a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) solution with the rest of the system. This paper provides an introduction for creating an autonomous MAV for enclosed environments, aimed at students and professionals alike. The standard autonomous system and MAV automation are discussed, while we focus on the core concepts of SLAM systems and trajectory planning algorithms. The advantages and disadvantages of using remote processing are evaluated, and recommendations are made regarding the viability of on-board processing. Recommendations are made regarding best practices to serve as a guideline for aspirant MAV designers. PMID:26633410

A Primer on Autonomous Aerial Vehicle Design.

PubMed

Coppejans, Hugo H G; Myburgh, Herman C

2015-12-02

There is a large amount of research currently being done on autonomous micro-aerial vehicles (MAV), such as quadrotor helicopters or quadcopters. The ability to create a working autonomous MAV depends mainly on integrating a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) solution with the rest of the system. This paper provides an introduction for creating an autonomous MAV for enclosed environments, aimed at students and professionals alike. The standard autonomous system and MAV automation are discussed, while we focus on the core concepts of SLAM systems and trajectory planning algorithms. The advantages and disadvantages of using remote processing are evaluated, and recommendations are made regarding the viability of on-board processing. Recommendations are made regarding best practices to serve as a guideline for aspirant MAV designers.

Central autonomic nervous system response to autonomic challenges is altered in patients with a previous episode of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Pereira, Vitor H; Marques, Paulo; Magalhães, Ricardo; Português, João; Calvo, Lucy; Cerqueira, João J; Sousa, Nuno

2016-04-01

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is an intriguing disease characterized by acute transient left ventricular dysfunction usually triggered by an episode of severe stress. The excessive levels of catecholamines and the overactivation of the sympathetic system are believed to be the main pathophysiologic mechanisms of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, but it is unclear whether there is a structural or functional signature of the disease. In this sense, our aim was to characterize the central autonomic system response to autonomic challenges in patients with a previous episode of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy when compared with a control group of healthy volunteers. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed in four patients with a previous episode of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (average age of 67 ± 12 years) and in eight healthy volunteers (average age of 66 ± 5 years) while being submitted to different autonomic challenges (cold exposure and Valsalva manoeuvre). The fMRI analysis revealed a significant variation of the blood oxygen level dependent signal triggered by the Valsalva manoeuvre in specific areas of the brain involved in the cortical control of the autonomic system and significant differences in the pattern of activation of the insular cortex, amygdala and the right hippocampus between patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and controls, even though these regions did not present significant volumetric changes. The central autonomic response to autonomic challenges is altered in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, thus suggesting a dysregulation of the central autonomic nervous system network. Subsequent studies are needed to unveil whether these alterations are causal or predisposing factors to Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.

National-Louis University: When a Pair of Dreamers Gets Together, the Result Is a $30-Million Gift--And a New International University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currents, 1993

1993-01-01

Through $33 million in gifts, Michael W. Louis has helped convert century-old National College of Education (Illinois) into a multicampus, nationwide university pioneering ways to make education available to working adults. The process began with a friendship between a college president with a vision and an industrial heir who appreciated it. (MSE)

Methods of determining complete sensor requirements for autonomous mobility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curtis, Steven A. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A method of determining complete sensor requirements for autonomous mobility of an autonomous system includes computing a time variation of each behavior of a set of behaviors of the autonomous system, determining mobility sensitivity to each behavior of the autonomous system, and computing a change in mobility based upon the mobility sensitivity to each behavior and the time variation of each behavior. The method further includes determining the complete sensor requirements of the autonomous system through analysis of the relative magnitude of the change in mobility, the mobility sensitivity to each behavior, and the time variation of each behavior, wherein the relative magnitude of the change in mobility, the mobility sensitivity to each behavior, and the time variation of each behavior are characteristic of the stability of the autonomous system.

National Laboratories and Universities: Building New Ways to Work Together--Report of a Workshop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academies Press, 2005

2005-01-01

This volume is a report of a workshop held in 2003 to address best practices and remaining challenges with respect to national laboratory-university collaborations. The following are appended: (1) Committee Member Biographies; (2) Workshop Agenda; (3) Workshop Participants; (4) Glossary of Acronyms; and (5) Major Benefits and Challenges. [This…

Cooperative Science: A National Study of University and Industry Researchers. Case Studies. Volume II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Elmima C.; And Others

This report presents nine case studies of Industry/University Cooperative Research (IUCR) projects supported during 1978-1980 by the National Science Foundation. The intent of this document is to provide readers with a qualitative picture of cooperative science as practiced under the IUCR program. The information presented in this report is…

The Role of Ethiopia's Public Universities in Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Keeffe, Paul

2016-01-01

In recent years, the Ethiopian government has embarked on an ambitious agriculture development strategy aimed at raising Ethiopia to the status of a middle-income-level country by 2025. Encouraged by the international development push behind the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the rapid expansion of public universities has…

Present Problems and Future Challenges of the Korea National Open University. ZIFF Papiere 113.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jae-Woong

Korea National Open University (KNOU) opened in 1972 as a correspondence college designed to improve adult learners' preparation for Korea's college examination. KNOU has been redefined as "an institution for adults who are deprived, by various reasons, of higher education opportunities and is now playing a major role in developing lifelong…

Autonomous Microstructure EM-APEX Floats

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

Autonomous Microstructure_EM-APEX_Float 4/8/16 at 3:21 PM 1 Title: Autonomous Microstructure EM-APEX Floats Authors: Ren-Chieh Lien1,2...Street Seattle, WA 98105 rcl@uw.edu Abstract: Fast responding FP-07 thermistors have been incorporated on profiling EM-APEX floats to measure...storage board. The raw and processed temperature observations are stored on a microSD card. Results from eight microstructure EM-APEX floats

The Rise of Robots: The Military’s Use of Autonomous Lethal Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-17

AIR WAR COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY THE RISE OF ROBOTS: THE MILITARY’S USE OF AUTONOMOUS LETHAL FORCE by Christopher J. Spinelli, Lt Col...ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Air War ...Christopher J. Spinelli is currently an Air War College student and was the former Commander of the 445th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base

PHM Enabled Autonomous Propellant Loading Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Mark; Figueroa, Fernando

2017-01-01

The utility of Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) software capability applied to Autonomous Operations (AO) remains an active research area within aerospace applications. The ability to gain insight into which assets and subsystems are functioning properly, along with the derivation of confident predictions concerning future ability, reliability, and availability, are important enablers for making sound mission planning decisions. When coupled with software that fully supports mission planning and execution, an integrated solution can be developed that leverages state assessment and estimation for the purposes of delivering autonomous operations. The authors have been applying this integrated, model-based approach to the autonomous loading of cryogenic spacecraft propellants at Kennedy Space Center.

On-Orbit Autonomous Assembly from Nanosatellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murchison, Luke S.; Martinez, Andres; Petro, Andrew

2015-01-01

The On-Orbit Autonomous Assembly from Nanosatellites (OAAN) project will demonstrate autonomous control algorithms for rendezvous and docking maneuvers; low-power reconfigurable magnetic docking technology; and compact, lightweight and inexpensive precision relative navigation using carrier-phase differential (CD) GPS with a three-degree of freedom ground demonstration. CDGPS is a specific relative position determination method that measures the phase of the GPS carrier wave to yield relative position data accurate to.4 inch (1 centimeter). CDGPS is a technology commonly found in the surveying industry. The development and demonstration of these technologies will fill a current gap in the availability of proven autonomous rendezvous and docking systems for small satellites.

Development of Autonomous Aerobraking (Phase 1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murri, Daniel G.; Powell, Richard W.; Prince, Jill L.

2012-01-01

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center received a request from Mr. Daniel Murri (NASA Technical Fellow for Flight Mechanics) to develop an autonomous aerobraking capability. An initial evaluation for all phases of this assessment was approved to proceed at the NESC Review Board meeting. The purpose of phase 1 of this study was to provide an assessment of the feasibility of autonomous aerobraking. During this phase, atmospheric, aerodynamic, and thermal models for a representative spacecraft were developed for both the onboard algorithm known as Autonomous Aerobraking Development Software, and a ground-based "truth" simulation developed for testing purposes. The results of the phase 1 assessment are included in this report.

A Novel Method of Autonomous Inspection for Transmission Line based on Cable Inspection Robot LiDAR Data

PubMed Central

Qin, Xinyan; Wu, Gongping; Fan, Fei; Ye, Xuhui; Mei, Quanjie

2018-01-01

With the growth of the national economy, there is increasing demand for electricity, which forces transmission line corridors to become structurally complicated and extend to complex environments (e.g., mountains, forests). It is a great challenge to inspect transmission line in these regions. To address these difficulties, a novel method of autonomous inspection for transmission line is proposed based on cable inspection robot (CIR) LiDAR data, which mainly includes two steps: preliminary inspection and autonomous inspection. In preliminary inspection, the position and orientation system (POS) data is used for original point cloud dividing, ground point filtering, and structured partition. A hierarchical classification strategy is established to identify the classes and positions of the abnormal points. In autonomous inspection, CIR can autonomously reach the specified points through inspection planning. These inspection targets are imaged with PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) cameras by coordinate transformation. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by test site experiments and actual line experiments, respectively. The proposed method greatly reduces manpower and improves inspection accuracy, providing a theoretical basis for intelligent inspection of transmission lines in the future. PMID:29462865

Autonomous Control of Space Reactor Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belle R. Upadhyaya; K. Zhao; S.R.P. Perillo

2007-11-30

Autonomous and semi-autonomous control is a key element of space reactor design in order to meet the mission requirements of safety, reliability, survivability, and life expectancy. Interrestrial nuclear power plants, human operators are avilable to perform intelligent control functions that are necessary for both normal and abnormal operational conditions.

Universality, correlations, and rankings in the Brazilian universities national admission examinations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Roberto; Lamb, Luis C.; Barbosa, Marcia C.

2016-09-01

We analyze the scores obtained by students who have taken the ENEM examination, The Brazilian High School National Examination which is used in the admission process at Brazilian universities. The average high schools scores from different disciplines are compared through the Pearson correlation coefficient. The results show a very large correlation between the performance in the different school subjects. Even though the students' scores in the ENEM form a Gaussian due to the standardization, we show that the high schools' scores form a bimodal distribution that cannot be used to evaluate and compare students performance over time. We also show that this high schools distribution reflects the correlation between school performance and the economic level (based on the average family income) of the students. The ENEM scores are compared with a Brazilian non standardized exam, the entrance examination from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. The analysis of the performance of the same individuals in both tests shows that the two tests not only select different abilities, but also lead to the admission of different sets of individuals. Our results indicate that standardized tests might be an interesting tool to compare performance of individuals over the years, but not of institutions.

The Case of Educational Peacebuilding inside the United Nations Universities: A Review and Critique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kester, Kevin

2017-01-01

This article examines higher education for peace inside the United Nations (UN). It offers an overview and synthesis of core concepts, organizing frameworks and theoretical premises in the field of peace and conflict studies (PACS) higher education and in the UN universities in particular, as the field aspires toward transformative learning and…

Student Expectations of Tertiary Institutions: A Case Study of the Fiji National University (FNU)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Shana Nigar

2012-01-01

Education is a human right and Fiji's tertiary education board recently declared that all tertiary institutions in Fiji must abide by the framework in order to meet student-customers' needs. The Fiji National University's (FNU's) destiny to be Fiji's leading higher education provider could be a reality if students and staff's expectations are…

Swarm autonomic agents with self-destruct capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor); Sterritt, Roy (Inventor)

2009-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments an autonomic entity manages a system by generating one or more stay alive signals based on the functioning status and operating state of the system. In some embodiments, an evolvable synthetic neural system is operably coupled to one or more evolvable synthetic neural systems in a hierarchy. The evolvable neural interface receives and generates heartbeat monitor signals and pulse monitor signals that are used to generate a stay alive signal that is used to manage the operations of the synthetic neural system. In another embodiment an asynchronous Alice signal (Autonomic license) requiring valid credentials of an anonymous autonomous agent is initiated. An unsatisfactory Alice exchange may lead to self-destruction of the anonymous autonomous agent for self-protection.

Swarm autonomic agents with self-destruct capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor); Sterritt, Roy (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments an autonomic entity manages a system by generating one or more stay alive signals based on the functioning status and operating state of the system. In some embodiments, an evolvable synthetic neural system is operably coupled to one or more evolvable synthetic neural systems in a hierarchy. The evolvable neural interface receives and generates heartbeat monitor signals and pulse monitor signals that are used to generate a stay alive signal that is used to manage the operations of the synthetic neural system. In another embodiment an asynchronous Alice signal (Autonomic license) requiring valid credentials of an anonymous autonomous agent is initiated. An unsatisfactory Alice exchange may lead to self-destruction of the anonymous autonomous agent for self-protection.

PointCom: semi-autonomous UGV control with intuitive interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohde, Mitchell M.; Perlin, Victor E.; Iagnemma, Karl D.; Lupa, Robert M.; Rohde, Steven M.; Overholt, James; Fiorani, Graham

2008-04-01

Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) will play an important role in the nation's next-generation ground force. Advances in sensing, control, and computing have enabled a new generation of technologies that bridge the gap between manual UGV teleoperation and full autonomy. In this paper, we present current research on a unique command and control system for UGVs named PointCom (Point-and-Go Command). PointCom is a semi-autonomous command system for one or multiple UGVs. The system, when complete, will be easy to operate and will enable significant reduction in operator workload by utilizing an intuitive image-based control framework for UGV navigation and allowing a single operator to command multiple UGVs. The project leverages new image processing algorithms for monocular visual servoing and odometry to yield a unique, high-performance fused navigation system. Human Computer Interface (HCI) techniques from the entertainment software industry are being used to develop video-game style interfaces that require little training and build upon the navigation capabilities. By combining an advanced navigation system with an intuitive interface, a semi-autonomous control and navigation system is being created that is robust, user friendly, and less burdensome than many current generation systems. mand).

Error Management Practices Interacting with National and Organizational Culture: The Case of Two State University Departments in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Göktürk, Söheyda; Bozoglu, Oguzhan; Günçavdi, Gizem

2017-01-01

Purpose: Elements of national and organizational cultures can contribute much to the success of error management in organizations. Accordingly, this study aims to consider how errors were approached in two state university departments in Turkey in relation to their specific organizational and national cultures. Design/methodology/approach: The…

Autonomous Trans-Antartic expeditions: an initiative for advancing planetary mobility system technology while addressing Earth science objectives in Antartica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carsey, F.; Schenker, P.; Blamont, J.

2001-01-01

A workshop on Antartic Autonomous Scientific Vehicles and Traverses met at the National Geographic Society in February to discuss scientific objectives and benefits of the use of rovers such as are being developed for use in planetary exploration.

Planning Flight Paths of Autonomous Aerobots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kulczycki, Eric; Elfes, Alberto; Sharma, Shivanjli

2009-01-01

Algorithms for planning flight paths of autonomous aerobots (robotic blimps) to be deployed in scientific exploration of remote planets are undergoing development. These algorithms are also adaptable to terrestrial applications involving robotic submarines as well as aerobots and other autonomous aircraft used to acquire scientific data or to perform surveying or monitoring functions.

Autonomous Navigation, Dynamic Path and Work Flow Planning in Multi-Agent Robotic Swarms Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falker, John; Zeitlin, Nancy; Leucht, Kurt; Stolleis, Karl

2015-01-01

Kennedy Space Center has teamed up with the Biological Computation Lab at the University of New Mexico to create a swarm of small, low-cost, autonomous robots, called Swarmies, to be used as a ground-based research platform for in-situ resource utilization missions. The behavior of the robot swarm mimics the central-place foraging strategy of ants to find and collect resources in an unknown environment and return those resources to a central site.

The University-Industry Relations of an Entrepreneurial University: The Case of the University of Twente.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schutte, Frits

1999-01-01

Describes the development of the University of Twente from a regional teaching university to a national research university, the "entrepreneurial university" of the Netherlands. Focuses on spinoffs from the university, an incubator in a business and science park and the generation of venture capital. Estimates the regional impact of such…

The First Modern University: The University of Birmingham

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arthur, James

2017-01-01

The University of Birmingham was planned, advanced and established with both national and German models of a University in mind. Civic reasons for the planning of the University need to be viewed within a broader motivational context. Even with a strong sense of civic place, the University was conceived as a modern University with multiple…

Autonomic Materials for Smarter, Safer, Longer-Lasting Batteries (A "Life at the Frontiers of Energy Research" contest entry from the 2011 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) Summit and Forum)

ScienceCinema

Thackeray, Michael (Director, Center for Electrical Energy Storage); CEES Staff

2017-12-09

'Autonomic Materials for Smarter, Safer, Longer-Lasting Batteries' was submitted by the Center for Electrical Energy Storage (CEES) to the 'Life at the Frontiers of Energy Research' video contest at the 2011 Science for Our Nation's Energy Future: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) Summit and Forum. Twenty-six EFRCs created short videos to highlight their mission and their work. CEES, an EFRC directed by Michael Thackery at Argonne National Laboratory is a partnership of scientists from three institutions: ANL (lead), Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Office of Basic Energy Sciences in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science established the 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) in 2009. These collaboratively-organized centers conduct fundamental research focused on 'grand challenges' and use-inspired 'basic research needs' recently identified in major strategic planning efforts by the scientific community. The overall purpose is to accelerate scientific progress toward meeting the nation's critical energy challenges. The mission of the Center for Electrical Energy Storage is 'to acquire a fundamental understanding of interfacial phenomena controlling electrochemical processes that will enable dramatic improvements in the properties and performance of energy storage devices, notable Li ion batteries.' Research topics are: electrical energy storage, batteries, battery electrodes, electrolytes, adaptive materials, interfacial characterization, matter by design; novel materials synthesis, charge transport, and defect tolerant materials.

Individualism, Nationalism, and Universalism: The Educational Ideals of Mordecai M. Kaplan's Philosophy of Jewish Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackerman, Ari

2008-01-01

This article will examine educational ideals by exploring the relation between the individual, the collective, and humanity in Kaplan's Jewish and educational philosophy. Generally the goals of individualism, nationalism, and universalism are seen as mutually exclusive. By contrast, Kaplan argues for the symbiotic relationship between…

A Model-Driven Architecture Approach for Modeling, Specifying and Deploying Policies in Autonomous and Autonomic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pena, Joaquin; Hinchey, Michael G.; Sterritt, Roy; Ruiz-Cortes, Antonio; Resinas, Manuel

2006-01-01

Autonomic Computing (AC), self-management based on high level guidance from humans, is increasingly gaining momentum as the way forward in designing reliable systems that hide complexity and conquer IT management costs. Effectively, AC may be viewed as Policy-Based Self-Management. The Model Driven Architecture (MDA) approach focuses on building models that can be transformed into code in an automatic manner. In this paper, we look at ways to implement Policy-Based Self-Management by means of models that can be converted to code using transformations that follow the MDA philosophy. We propose a set of UML-based models to specify autonomic and autonomous features along with the necessary procedures, based on modification and composition of models, to deploy a policy as an executing system.

Nature's Autonomous Oscillators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayr, H. G.; Yee, J.-H.; Mayr, M.; Schnetzler, R.

2012-01-01

Nonlinearity is required to produce autonomous oscillations without external time dependent source, and an example is the pendulum clock. The escapement mechanism of the clock imparts an impulse for each swing direction, which keeps the pendulum oscillating at the resonance frequency. Among nature's observed autonomous oscillators, examples are the quasi-biennial oscillation and bimonthly oscillation of the Earth atmosphere, and the 22-year solar oscillation. The oscillations have been simulated in numerical models without external time dependent source, and in Section 2 we summarize the results. Specifically, we shall discuss the nonlinearities that are involved in generating the oscillations, and the processes that produce the periodicities. In biology, insects have flight muscles, which function autonomously with wing frequencies that far exceed the animals' neural capacity; Stretch-activation of muscle contraction is the mechanism that produces the high frequency oscillation of insect flight, discussed in Section 3. The same mechanism is also invoked to explain the functioning of the cardiac muscle. In Section 4, we present a tutorial review of the cardio-vascular system, heart anatomy, and muscle cell physiology, leading up to Starling's Law of the Heart, which supports our notion that the human heart is also a nonlinear oscillator. In Section 5, we offer a broad perspective of the tenuous links between the fluid dynamical oscillators and the human heart physiology.

Autonomous Cryogenics Loading Operations Simulation Software: Knowledgebase Autonomous Test Engineer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wehner, Walter S., Jr.

2013-01-01

Working on the ACLO (Autonomous Cryogenics Loading Operations) project I have had the opportunity to add functionality to the physics simulation software known as KATE (Knowledgebase Autonomous Test Engineer), create a new application allowing WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) creation of KATE schematic files and begin a preliminary design and implementation of a new subsystem that will provide vision services on the IHM (Integrated Health Management) bus. The functionality I added to KATE over the past few months includes a dynamic visual representation of the fluid height in a pipe based on number of gallons of fluid in the pipe and implementing the IHM bus connection within KATE. I also fixed a broken feature in the system called the Browser Display, implemented many bug fixes and made changes to the GUI (Graphical User Interface).

Education, Revolution and Evolution: The Palestinian Universities as Initiators of National Struggle 1972-1995

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zelkovitz, Ido

2014-01-01

Since the concept of nationalism first emerged on the world stage, universities have played a key role in its collective formation and dissemination to the masses. Established under challenging circumstances and subjected to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the wake of the 1967 war, Palestinian institutions of higher…

[2013 research ranking of Spanish public universities].

PubMed

Buela-Casal, Gualberto; Quevedo-Blasco, Raúl; Guillén-Riquelme, Alejandro

2015-01-01

The evaluation of research production and productivity is becoming increasingly necessary for universities. Having reliable and clear data is extremely useful in order to uncover strengths and weaknesses. The objective of this article is to update the research ranking of Spanish public universities with the 2013 data. Assessment was carried out based on articles in journals indexed in the JCR, research periods, R+D projects, doctoral theses, FPU grants, doctoral studies awarded with a citation of excellence, and patents, providing a rating, both for each individual indicator and globally, in production and productivity. The same methodology as previous editions was followed. In the global ranking, the universities with a higher production are Barcelona, Complutense of Madrid, and Granada. In productivity, the first positions are held by the universities Pompeu Fabra, Pablo de Olavide, and the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Differences can be found between the universities in production and productivity, while there are also certain similarities with regard to the position of Spanish universities in international rankings.

Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) Project Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rumford, TImothy E.

2003-01-01

Since the 1960's, NASA has performed numerous rendezvous and docking missions. The common element of all US rendezvous and docking is that the spacecraft has always been piloted by astronauts. Only the Russian Space Program has developed and demonstrated an autonomous capability. The Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) project currently funded under NASA's Space Launch Initiative (SLI) Cycle I, provides a key step in establishing an autonomous rendezvous capability for the United States. DART's objective is to demonstrate, in space, the hardware and software necessary for autonomous rendezvous. Orbital Sciences Corporation intends to integrate an Advanced Video Guidance Sensor and Autonomous Rendezvous and Proximity Operations algorithms into a Pegasus upper stage in order to demonstrate the capability to autonomously rendezvous with a target currently in orbit. The DART mission will occur in April 2004. The launch site will be Vandenburg AFB and the launch vehicle will be a Pegasus XL equipped with a Hydrazine Auxiliary Propulsion System 4th stage. All mission objectives will be completed within a 24 hour period. The paper provides a summary of mission objectives, mission overview and a discussion on the design features of the chase and target vehicles.

Evaluation of the Department of Neurosurgery of the Seoul National University Hospital

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The Department of Neurosurgery (DNS) of the Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), belongs to the largest and oldest such institutions in Korea. Because of its growing reputation it is hardly surprising that the DNS draws visitor and scholars for clinical education and academic exchange from far beyond Korea. I myself visited the SNUH in February and March 2013. During this time I composed this evaluation in which I compare the DNS to my home Department at the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz/Germany, as well as the situation of Neurosurgery in Korea and Germany in general. In the first part this evaluation summarizes data concerning equipment, staff and organizational structure, as well as educational and scientific issues of the DNS. In the second part some issues of interest are discussed in special regard to the corresponding practices in Germany. PMID:23908698

Examining accident reports involving autonomous vehicles in California

PubMed Central

Nader, Nazanin; Eurich, Sky O.; Tripp, Michelle; Varadaraju, Naresh

2017-01-01

Autonomous Vehicle technology is quickly expanding its market and has found in Silicon Valley, California, a strong foothold for preliminary testing on public roads. In an effort to promote safety and transparency to consumers, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has mandated that reports of accidents involving autonomous vehicles be drafted and made available to the public. The present work shows an in-depth analysis of the accident reports filed by different manufacturers that are testing autonomous vehicles in California (testing data from September 2014 to March 2017). The data provides important information on autonomous vehicles accidents’ dynamics, related to the most frequent types of collisions and impacts, accident frequencies, and other contributing factors. The study also explores important implications related to future testing and validation of semi-autonomous vehicles, tracing the investigation back to current literature as well as to the current regulatory panorama. PMID:28931022

Examining accident reports involving autonomous vehicles in California.

PubMed

Favarò, Francesca M; Nader, Nazanin; Eurich, Sky O; Tripp, Michelle; Varadaraju, Naresh

2017-01-01

Autonomous Vehicle technology is quickly expanding its market and has found in Silicon Valley, California, a strong foothold for preliminary testing on public roads. In an effort to promote safety and transparency to consumers, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has mandated that reports of accidents involving autonomous vehicles be drafted and made available to the public. The present work shows an in-depth analysis of the accident reports filed by different manufacturers that are testing autonomous vehicles in California (testing data from September 2014 to March 2017). The data provides important information on autonomous vehicles accidents' dynamics, related to the most frequent types of collisions and impacts, accident frequencies, and other contributing factors. The study also explores important implications related to future testing and validation of semi-autonomous vehicles, tracing the investigation back to current literature as well as to the current regulatory panorama.

HPV and HPV vaccine information among a national sample of college and university websites.

PubMed

Fontenot, Holly B; Fantasia, Heidi Collins; Sutherland, Melissa A; Lee-St John, Terrence

2016-04-01

To describe the availability of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine information accessible to college students via official college and university websites. A review and analysis of HPV and HPV vaccination information abstracted from a national sample (n = 214) of college/university websites. Three abstractors systematically evaluated quality and quantity of vaccination, sexual health, and HPV disease information from health service webpages. The majority of colleges/universities had designated student health service webpages (n = 181). Of these, 86% provided information on vaccinations, but less than 50% mentioned HPV or the HPV vaccine specifically and only 32% provided any HPV educational information. Colleges/university webpages that provide sexual health and or general vaccination information had higher odds of providing information on HPV and HPV vaccination. Nurse practitioners who care for college-aged persons need to be cognizant of the many ways they can promote HPV vaccination. Providing accurate information about resources available at student health centers is a way to promote health on campus; the findings from this study indicate that HPV and HPV vaccine information may be lacking on many college/university websites. ©2015 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Tactical Decision Aids High Bandwidth Links Using Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

1 Tactical Decision Aids (High Bandwidth Links Using Autonomous Vehicles ) A. J. Healey, D. P. Horner, Center for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle...SUBTITLE Tactical Decision Aids (High Bandwidth Links Using Autonomous Vehicles ) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6

Hybrid Learning: An Effective Resource in University Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alducin-Ochoa, Juan Manuel; Vázquez-Martínez, Ana Isabel

2016-01-01

The organisation of university education in Europe is undergoing profound changes as a consequence of the establishment of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This transformation entails methodological changes that are focused on student work. The student is now considered to be an autonomous individual who is able to choose a path of study…

Autonomous Cryogenic Load Operations: Knowledge-Based Autonomous Test Engineer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrading, J. Nicolas

2013-01-01

The Knowledge-Based Autonomous Test Engineer (KATE) program has a long history at KSC. Now a part of the Autonomous Cryogenic Load Operations (ACLO) mission, this software system has been sporadically developed over the past 20 years. Originally designed to provide health and status monitoring for a simple water-based fluid system, it was proven to be a capable autonomous test engineer for determining sources of failure in the system. As part of a new goal to provide this same anomaly-detection capability for a complicated cryogenic fluid system, software engineers, physicists, interns and KATE experts are working to upgrade the software capabilities and graphical user interface. Much progress was made during this effort to improve KATE. A display of the entire cryogenic system's graph, with nodes for components and edges for their connections, was added to the KATE software. A searching functionality was added to the new graph display, so that users could easily center their screen on specific components. The GUI was also modified so that it displayed information relevant to the new project goals. In addition, work began on adding new pneumatic and electronic subsystems into the KATE knowledge base, so that it could provide health and status monitoring for those systems. Finally, many fixes for bugs, memory leaks, and memory errors were implemented and the system was moved into a state in which it could be presented to stakeholders. Overall, the KATE system was improved and necessary additional features were added so that a presentation of the program and its functionality in the next few months would be a success.

A Longitudinal Examination of Students' Health Behaviours during Their First Year at University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Ann-Marie; Shaw, Johanna; Hewitt, Allan; Easton, Chris; Robertson, Sarah; Gibson, Neil

2018-01-01

During the transition from school to higher education, young adults experience a substantial amount of change where they progress from the highly controlled setting of school to the autonomous and self-motivated environment of university. Time spent at university is considered a critical period during which young adults establish a clear sense of…

Clinical and electrophysiologic attributes as predictors of results of autonomic function tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, C. L.; Denq, J. C.; Harper, C. M.; O'Brien, P. C.; Low, P. A.

1998-01-01

Autonomic dysfunction is a feature of some neuropathies and not others. It has been suggested that some clinical and electrophysiologic attributes are predictable of autonomic impairment detected using laboratory testing; however, dear guidelines are unavailable. We evaluated 138 relatively unselected patients with peripheral neuropathy who underwent neurologic evaluation, electromyography (EMG), nerve conduction studies, and autonomic function tests to determine which variables were predictive of laboratory findings of autonomic failure. The variables evaluated were 1) clinical somatic neuropathic findings, 2) clinical autonomic symptoms, and 3) electrophysiologic findings. Autonomic symptoms were strongly predictive (Rs = 0.40, p < 0.001) of autonomic failure. Among the non-autonomic indices, absent ankle reflexes were mildly predictive (Rs = 0.19, p = 0.022) of autonomic impairment, but all others were not (duration, clinical pattern, severity, weakness, sensory loss). Electrophysiologic changes of an axonal neuropathy predicted autonomic impairment while demyelinating neuropathy did not. We conclude that autonomic studies will most likely be abnormal in patients who have symptoms of autonomic involvement and those who have an axonal neuropathy.

Acoustics of the guitar at the National Autonomous University of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boullosa, Ricardo R.

2002-11-01

Ongoing work in the field of Musical Acoustics (among other areas of interest) has been carried out at the Acoustics Laboratory at the Centro de Investigaciones Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnologico in the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). This research began almost 15 years ago and although there have been times when no work was made, due to the effort involved in the characterization of the chambers at this laboratory and the development of other areas, some results are worth mentioning. In this paper the main work done in the laboratory in the field of musical acoustics, in particular, that related to the guitar is summarized. The topics studied so far deal with the objective and subjective evaluation of the sound of the guitar, the role of high frequency radiation, the string-body interaction and tuning problems, and the fretboard's influence on the sound radiation, among other things. Most of this work has been published elsewhere, but the aim in this presentation is to give a general view of the work done by the Acoustics Laboratory, to the author's acknowledge, the only group in Mexico working in this area.

Biologically-Inspired Concepts for Autonomic Self-Protection in Multiagent Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterritt, Roy; Hinchey, Mike

2006-01-01

Biologically-inspired autonomous and autonomic systems (AAS) are essentially concerned with creating self-directed and self-managing systems based on metaphors &om nature and the human body, such as the autonomic nervous system. Agent technologies have been identified as a key enabler for engineering autonomy and autonomicity in systems, both in terms of retrofitting into legacy systems and in designing new systems. Handing over responsibility to systems themselves raises concerns for humans with regard to safety and security. This paper reports on the continued investigation into a strand of research on how to engineer self-protection mechanisms into systems to assist in encouraging confidence regarding security when utilizing autonomy and autonomicity. This includes utilizing the apoptosis and quiescence metaphors to potentially provide a self-destruct or self-sleep signal between autonomic agents when needed, and an ALice signal to facilitate self-identification and self-certification between anonymous autonomous agents and systems.

Symmetries and solutions of the non-autonomous von Bertalanffy equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Maureen P.; Anderssen, Robert S.

2015-05-01

For growth in a closed environment, which is indicative of the situation in laboratory experiments, autonomous ODE models do not necessarily capture the dynamics under investigation. The importance and impact of a closed environment arise when the question under examination relates, for example, to the number of the surviving microbes, such as in a study of the spoilage and contamination of food, the gene silencing activity of fungi or the production of a chemical compound by bacteria or fungi. Autonomous ODE models are inappropriate as they assume that only the current size of the population controls the growth-decay dynamics. This is reflected in the fact that, asymptotically, their solutions can only grow or decay monotonically or asymptote. Non-autonomous ODE models are not so constrained. A natural strategy for the choice of non-autonomous ODEs is to take appropriate autonomous ones and change them to be non-autonomous through the introduction of relevant non-autonomous terms. This is the approach in this paper with the focus being the von Bertalanffy equation. Since this equation has independent importance in relation to practical applications in growth modelling, it is natural to explore the deeper relationships between the introduced non-autonomous terms through a symmetry analysis, which is the purpose and goal of the current paper. Infinitesimals are derived which allow particular forms of the non-autonomous von Bertalanffy equation to be transformed into autonomous forms for which some new analytic solutions have been found.

Student Assessment of Quality of Access at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inegbedion, Juliet O.; Adu, Folorunso I.; Ofulue, Christine Y.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a study conducted by Inegbedion, Adu and Ofulue from the National Open University of Nigeria. The study focused on the quality of access (admission and registration) at NOUN from a student perspective. A survey design was used for the study while a multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the sample size. All the…

Autonomic Impairment in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multimodal Neuromonitoring Study.

PubMed

Sykora, Marek; Czosnyka, Marek; Liu, Xiuyun; Donnelly, Joseph; Nasr, Nathalie; Diedler, Jennifer; Okoroafor, Francois; Hutchinson, Peter; Menon, David; Smielewski, Peter

2016-06-01

Autonomic impairment after acute traumatic brain injury has been associated independently with both increased morbidity and mortality. Links between autonomic impairment and increased intracranial pressure or impaired cerebral autoregulation have been described as well. However, relationships between autonomic impairment, intracranial pressure, impaired cerebral autoregulation, and outcome remain poorly explored. Using continuous measurements of heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity we aimed to test whether autonomic markers are associated with functional outcome and mortality independently of intracranial variables. Further, we aimed to evaluate the relationships between autonomic functions, intracranial pressure, and cerebral autoregulation. Retrospective analysis of a prospective database. Neurocritical care unit in a university hospital. Sedated patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Waveforms of intracranial pressure and arterial blood pressure, baseline Glasgow Coma Scale and 6 months Glasgow Outcome Scale were recorded. Baroreflex sensitivity was assessed every 10 seconds using a modified cross-correlational method. Frequency domain analyses of heart rate variability were performed automatically every 10 seconds from a moving 300 seconds of the monitoring time window. Mean values of baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, intracranial pressure, arterial blood pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, and impaired cerebral autoregulation over the entire monitoring period were calculated for each patient. Two hundred and sixty-two patients with a median age of 36 years entered the analysis. The median admission Glasgow Coma Scale was 6, the median Glasgow Outcome Scale was 3, and the mortality at 6 months was 23%. Baroreflex sensitivity (adjusted odds ratio, 0.9; p = 0.02) and relative power of a high frequency band of heart rate variability (adjusted odds ratio, 1.05; p < 0.001) were individually associated with mortality, independently

Autonomy Level Specification for Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-09-01

Autonomy Level Specification for Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles : Interim Progress Report Hui-Min Huang, Elena Messina, James Albus...Level Specification for Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles : Interim Progress Report 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6

Technology initiatives for the autonomous guidance, navigation, and control of single and multiple satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croft, John; Deily, John; Hartman, Kathy; Weidow, David

1998-01-01

In the twenty-first century, NASA envisions frequent low-cost missions to explore the solar system, observe the universe, and study our planet. To realize NASA's goal, the Guidance, Navigation, and Control Center (GNCC) at the Goddard Space Flight Center sponsors technology programs that enhance spacecraft performance, streamline processes and ultimately enable cheaper science. Our technology programs encompass control system architectures, sensor and actuator components, electronic systems, design and development of algorithms, embedded systems and space vehicle autonomy. Through collaboration with government, universities, non-profit organizations, and industry, the GNCC incrementally develops key technologies that conquer NASA's challenges. This paper presents an overview of several innovative technology initiatives for the autonomous guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) of satellites.

Autonomous Command Operations of the WIRE Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walyus, Keith; Prior, Mike; Saylor, Richard

1999-01-01

This paper presents operational innovations which will be introduced on NASA's Wide Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) mission. These innovations include an end-to-end design architecture for an autonomous commanding capability for the uplink of command loads during unattended station contacts. The WIRE mission is the fifth and final mission of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Small Explorer (SMEX) series to be launched in March of 1999. Its primary mission is the targeting of deep space fields using an ultra-cooled infrared telescope. Due to its mission design WIRE command loads are large (approximately 40 Kbytes per 24 hours) and must be performed daily. To reduce the cost of mission operations support that would be required in order to uplink command loads, the WIRE Flight Operations Team has implemented all autonomous command loading capability. This capability allows completely unattended operations over a typical two-day weekend period. The key factors driving design and implementation of this capability were: 1) integration with already existing ground system autonomous capabilities and systems, 2) the desire to evolve autonomous operations capabilities based upon previous SMEX operations experience - specifically the TRACE mission, 3) integration with ground station operations - both autonomous and man-tended, 4) low cost and quick implementation, and 5) end-to-end system robustness. A trade-off study was performed to examine these factors in light of the low-cost, higher-risk SMEX mission philosophy. The study concluded that a STOL (Spacecraft Test and Operations Language) based script, highly integrated with other scripts used to perform autonomous operations, was best suited given the budget and goals of the mission. Each of these factors is discussed in addition to use of the TRACE mission as a testbed for autonomous commanding prior to implementation on WIRE. The capabilities implemented on the WIRE mission are an example of a low-cost, robust, and

Validation of the Korean Version of the Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease-Autonomic

PubMed Central

Kim, Ji-Young; Song, In-Uk; Koh, Seong-Beom; Ahn, Tae-Beom; Kim, Sang Jin; Cheon, Sang-Myung; Cho, Jin Whan; Kim, Yun Joong; Ma, Hyeo-Il; Park, Mee-Young; Baik, Jong Sam; Lee, Phil Hyu; Chung, Sun Ju; Kim, Jong-Min; Kim, Han-Joon; Sung, Young-Hee; Kwon, Do Young; Lee, Jae-Hyeok; Lee, Jee-Young; Kim, Ji Sun; Yun, Ji Young; Kim, Hee Jin; Hong, Jin Young; Kim, Mi-Jung; Youn, Jinyoung; Kim, Ji Seon; Oh, Eung Seok; Yang, Hui-Jun; Yoon, Won Tae; You, Sooyeoun; Kwon, Kyum-Yil; Park, Hyung-Eun; Lee, Su-Yun; Kim, Younsoo; Kim, Hee-Tae; Kim, Joong-Seok

2017-01-01

Objective Autonomic symptoms are commonly observed in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and often limit the activities of daily living. The Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson’s disease-Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT) was developed to evaluate and quantify autonomic symptoms in PD. The goal of this study was to translate the original SCOPA-AUT, which was written in English, into Korean and to evaluate its reliability and validity for Korean PD patients. Methods For the translation, the following processes were performed: forward translation, backward translation, expert review, pretest of the pre-final version and development of the final Korean version of SCOPA-AUT (K-SCOPA-AUT). In total, 127 patients with PD from 31 movement disorder clinics of university-affiliated hospitals in Korea were enrolled in this study. All patients were assessed using the K-SCOPA-AUT and other motor, non-motor, and quality of life scores. Test-retest reliability for the K-SCOPA-AUT was assessed over a time interval of 10−14 days. Results The internal consistency and reliability of the K-SCOPA-AUT was 0.727 as measured by the mean Cronbach’s α-coefficient. The test-retest correlation reliability was 0.859 by the Guttman split-half coefficient. The total K-SCOPA-AUT score showed a positive correlation with other non-motor symptoms [the Korean version of non-motor symptom scale (K-NMSS)], activities of daily living (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part II) and quality of life [the Korean version of Parkinson’s Disease Quality of Life 39 (K-PDQ39)]. Conclusion The K-SCOPA-AUT had good reliability and validity for the assessment of autonomic dysfunction in Korean PD patients. Autonomic symptom severities were associated with many other motor and non-motor impairments and influenced quality of life. PMID:28122431

Autonomous execution of the Precision Immobilization Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mascareñas, David D. L.; Stull, Christopher J.; Farrar, Charles R.

2017-03-01

Over the course of the last decade great advances have been made in autonomously driving cars. The technology has advanced to the point that driverless car technology is currently being tested on publicly accessed roadways. The introduction of these technologies onto publicly accessed roadways not only raises questions of safety, but also security. Autonomously driving cars are inherently cyber-physical systems and as such will have novel security vulnerabilities that couple both the cyber aspects of the vehicle including the on-board computing and any network data it makes use of, with the physical nature of the vehicle including its sensors, actuators, and the vehicle chassis. Widespread implementation of driverless car technology will require that both the cyber, as well as physical security concerns surrounding these vehicles are addressed. In this work, we specifically developed a control policy to autonomously execute the Precision Immobilization Technique, a.k.a. the PIT maneuver. The PIT maneuver was originally developed by law enforcement to end high-speed vehicular pursuits in a quasi-safe manner. However, there is still a risk of damage/roll-over to both the vehicle executing the PIT maneuver as well as to the vehicle subject to the PIT maneuver. In law enforcement applications, it would be preferable to execute the PIT maneuver using an autonomous vehicle, thus removing the danger to law-enforcement officers. Furthermore, it is entirely possible that unscrupulous individuals could inject code into an autonomously-driving car to use the PIT maneuver to immobilize other vehicles while maintaining anonymity. For these reasons it is useful to know how the PIT maneuver can be implemented on an autonomous car. In this work a simple control policy based on velocity pursuit was developed to autonomously execute the PIT maneuver using only a vision and range measurements that are both commonly collected by contemporary driverless cars. The ability of this

Autonomous space processor for orbital debris advanced design project in support of solar system exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramohalli, Kumar; Mitchell, Dominique; Taft, Brett; Chinnock, Paul; Kutz, Bjoern

1992-01-01

This paper is regarding a project in the Advanced Design Program at the University of Arizona. The project is named the Autonomous Space Processor for Orbital Debris (ASPOD) and is a NASA/Universities Space Research Association (USRA) sponsored design project. The development of ASPOD and the students' abilities in designing and building a prototype spacecraft are the ultimate goals of this project. This year's focus entailed the development of a secondary robotic arm and end-effector to work in tandem with an existent arm in the removal of orbital debris. The new arm features the introduction of composite materials and a linear drive system, thus producing a light-weight and more accurate prototype. The main characteristic of the end-effector design is that it incorporates all of the motors and gearing internally, thus not subjecting them to the harsh space environment. Furthermore, the arm and the end-effector are automated by a control system with positional feedback. This system is composed of magnetic and optical encoders connected to a 486 PC via two servo-motor controller cards. Programming a series of basic routines and sub-routines has allowed the ASPOD prototype to become more autonomous. The new system is expected to perform specified tasks with a positional accuracy of 0.5 cm.

Software control architecture for autonomous vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Michael L.; DeAnda, Juan R.; Fox, Richard K.; Meng, Xiannong

1999-07-01

The Strategic-Tactical-Execution Software Control Architecture (STESCA) is a tri-level approach to controlling autonomous vehicles. Using an object-oriented approach, STESCA has been developed as a generalization of the Rational Behavior Model (RBM). STESCA was initially implemented for the Phoenix Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (Naval Postgraduate School -- Monterey, CA), and is currently being implemented for the Pioneer AT land-based wheeled vehicle. The goals of STESCA are twofold. First is to create a generic framework to simplify the process of creating a software control architecture for autonomous vehicles of any type. Second is to allow for mission specification system by 'anyone' with minimal training to control the overall vehicle functionality. This paper describes the prototype implementation of STESCA for the Pioneer AT.

Active matter logic for autonomous microfluidics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodhouse, Francis G.; Dunkel, Jörn

2017-04-01

Chemically or optically powered active matter plays an increasingly important role in materials design, but its computational potential has yet to be explored systematically. The competition between energy consumption and dissipation imposes stringent physical constraints on the information transport in active flow networks, facilitating global optimization strategies that are not well understood. Here, we combine insights from recent microbial experiments with concepts from lattice-field theory and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics to introduce a generic theoretical framework for active matter logic. Highlighting conceptual differences with classical and quantum computation, we demonstrate how the inherent non-locality of incompressible active flow networks can be utilized to construct universal logical operations, Fredkin gates and memory storage in set-reset latches through the synchronized self-organization of many individual network components. Our work lays the conceptual foundation for developing autonomous microfluidic transport devices driven by bacterial fluids, active liquid crystals or chemically engineered motile colloids.

Autonomic Computing: Panacea or Poppycock?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterritt, Roy; Hinchey, Mike

2005-01-01

Autonomic Computing arose out of a need for a means to cope with rapidly growing complexity of integrating, managing, and operating computer-based systems as well as a need to reduce the total cost of ownership of today's systems. Autonomic Computing (AC) as a discipline was proposed by IBM in 2001, with the vision to develop self-managing systems. As the name implies, the influence for the new paradigm is the human body's autonomic system, which regulates vital bodily functions such as the control of heart rate, the body's temperature and blood flow-all without conscious effort. The vision is to create selfivare through self-* properties. The initial set of properties, in terms of objectives, were self-configuring, self-healing, self-optimizing and self-protecting, along with attributes of self-awareness, self-monitoring and self-adjusting. This self-* list has grown: self-anticipating, self-critical, self-defining, self-destructing, self-diagnosis, self-governing, self-organized, self-reflecting, and self-simulation, for instance.

Focus on autonomic dysfunction in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP).

PubMed

Obayashi, Konen; Ando, Yukio

2012-06-01

It is well known that autonomic dysfunction in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is the most serious problem, because it restricts the daily life of these patients. The detail mechanisms of the onset are not well understood in FAP and domino liver transplantation-induced amyloid neuropathy. As autonomic disturbances play an important role in the symptomatology of FAP, further studies of autonomic dysfunction in these patients may lead the pathogenesis of FAP. Autonomic dysfunction is often observed before sensory and motor nerve dysfunction in FAP. This can be attributed to the morphological characteristics of the nerves. Unmyelinated, small myelinated, and large myelinated fibers tend to become impaired in that order. Although the reasons of susceptibility to amyloid infiltration and injury are not known, studies of autopsied FAP patients have revealed heavy infiltration of amyloid in autonomic ganglions. Moreover, spinal ganglion and posterior loot of the spine had severe amyloid deposits than did the anterior root of the spine or the motor nerves. It is well known that autonomic dysfunction is the most serious problem, because it restricts the daily life of FAP patients. However, we have four major questions about autonomic dysfunction in clinical. In this manuscript, we discuss about the answers of these questions.

Unique autonomic responses to pain in yoga practitioners.

PubMed

Cotton, Valerie; Low, Lucie A; Villemure, Chantal; Bushnell, M Catherine

2018-04-03

Autonomic nervous system activity is associated with neurobehavioral aspects of pain. Yogis use breathing, relaxation and mindfulness to tolerate pain, which could influence autonomic responses. To evaluate how the link between autonomic responses and pain is altered by other factors, we compared perceptual and autonomic responses to pain between yogis and controls. Nineteen yogis and 15 controls rated warm and painfully hot stimuli (1-cm thermode on calf), with visual anticipatory cues indicating certainly painful, certainly non-painful or uncertainly either painful or non-painful. Heart rate, skin conductance, respiration, and blood pressure were measured. At baseline, yogis breathed slower and deeper than controls, with no differences in other autonomic measures. During the task, perceptual ratings did not differ between groups in either the certain or uncertain conditions. Nevertheless, yogis had higher phasic skin conductance responses in anticipation of and response to all stimuli, but particularly during painful heat in uncertain contexts (Uncertain: 0.46 ± 0.34μS; Certain: 0.37 ± 0.28μS, t(18) = 3.962, p = 0.001). Furthermore, controls showed a decrease in heart rate to warm (-2.51 ± 2.17 bpm) versus painful stimuli (0.83 ± 1.63 bpm; t(13) = 5.212, p < 0.001) and lower respiratory sinus arrhythmia during pain than warm trials, whereas yogis had similar reactions to painful and non-painful stimuli. Autonomic responses to pain differed in yogis and healthy volunteers, despite similar pain ratings. Thus, autonomic reactivity to pain may be altered by environmental and psychological factors throughout an individual's life.

Autonomous Vehicles and the Net-Centric Battlespace

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-04-01

Autonomous vehicles are playing increasing roles in the air/land/sea network of today’s battlespace. As the Navy’s lead laboratory for command...including remote sensor platforms, communication relays, and work platforms. As these capabilities are developed autonomous vehicles will become an

Universal microfluidic automaton for autonomous sample processing: application to the Mars Organic Analyzer.

PubMed

Kim, Jungkyu; Jensen, Erik C; Stockton, Amanda M; Mathies, Richard A

2013-08-20

A fully integrated multilayer microfluidic chemical analyzer for automated sample processing and labeling, as well as analysis using capillary zone electrophoresis is developed and characterized. Using lifting gate microfluidic control valve technology, a microfluidic automaton consisting of a two-dimensional microvalve cellular array is fabricated with soft lithography in a format that enables facile integration with a microfluidic capillary electrophoresis device. The programmable sample processor performs precise mixing, metering, and routing operations that can be combined to achieve automation of complex and diverse assay protocols. Sample labeling protocols for amino acid, aldehyde/ketone and carboxylic acid analysis are performed automatically followed by automated transfer and analysis by the integrated microfluidic capillary electrophoresis chip. Equivalent performance to off-chip sample processing is demonstrated for each compound class; the automated analysis resulted in a limit of detection of ~16 nM for amino acids. Our microfluidic automaton provides a fully automated, portable microfluidic analysis system capable of autonomous analysis of diverse compound classes in challenging environments.

Hard-real-time resource management for autonomous spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gat, E.

2000-01-01

This paper describes tickets, a computational mechanism for hard-real-time autonomous resource management. Autonomous spacecraftcontrol can be considered abstractly as a computational process whose outputs are spacecraft commands.

Continuity and Change: The Integration of Oxford University's Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Barbara B.

2005-01-01

Prior to 1997, the University of Oxford in Great Britain had approximately one hundred autonomous libraries with little coordination of services, collection development, or management among them. In that year a new director was hired with the mandate to integrate many of these libraries into one centralized system. Over the past seven years…

Administering Examinations for Quality Control in Distance Education: The National Open University of Nigeria Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibara, E. C.

2008-01-01

Examination is an important tool for evaluating students learning outcome and require proper planning to meet high standards. This paper therefore examines the processes leading to administration of face-to-face examination in distance education with focus on the National Open University of Nigeria. It highlighted some procedures such as test…

The Impacts of New Governance on Teaching at German Universities. Findings from a National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkesmann, Uwe; Schmid, Christian J.

2012-01-01

In this article we will present findings from a national survey questioning the actual impact of the new governance structures at German universities on academic teaching. To begin with, we give a theoretical underpinning to the economization of higher education institutions (HEIs) according to Principal-Agent Theory. This allows for the…

Autonomous Science Operations Technologies for Deep Space Gateway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, P. K.; Haddock, A. T.; Cruzen, C. A.

2018-02-01

Autonomous Science Operations Technologies for Deep Space Gateway (DSG) is an overview of how the DSG would benefit from autonomous systems utilizing proven technologies performing telemetry monitoring and science operations.

Autonomous, agile micro-satellites and supporting technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Breitfeller, E; Dittman, M D; Gaughan, R J

1999-07-19

This paper updates the on-going effort at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to develop autonomous, agile micro-satellites (MicroSats). The objective of this development effort is to develop MicroSats weighing only a few tens of kilograms, that are able to autonomously perform precision maneuvers and can be used telerobotically in a variety of mission modes. The required capabilities include satellite rendezvous, inspection, proximity-operations, docking, and servicing. The MicroSat carries an integrated proximity-operations sensor-suite incorporating advanced avionics. A new self-pressurizing propulsion system utilizing a miniaturized pump and non-toxic mono-propellant hydrogen peroxide was successfully tested. This system can provide a nominal 25 kg MicroSatmore » with 200-300 m/s delta-v including a warm-gas attitude control system. The avionics is based on the latest PowerPC processor using a CompactPCI bus architecture, which is modular, high-performance and processor-independent. This leverages commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies and minimizes the effects of future changes in processors. The MicroSat software development environment uses the Vx-Works real-time operating system (RTOS) that provides a rapid development environment for integration of new software modules, allowing early integration and test. We will summarize results of recent integrated ground flight testing of our latest non-toxic pumped propulsion MicroSat testbed vehicle operated on our unique dynamic air-rail.« less

Tracked robot controllers for climbing obstacles autonomously

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincent, Isabelle

2009-05-01

Research in mobile robot navigation has demonstrated some success in navigating flat indoor environments while avoiding obstacles. However, the challenge of analyzing complex environments to climb obstacles autonomously has had very little success due to the complexity of the task. Unmanned ground vehicles currently exhibit simple autonomous behaviours compared to the human ability to move in the world. This paper presents the control algorithms designed for a tracked mobile robot to autonomously climb obstacles by varying its tracks configuration. Two control algorithms are proposed to solve the autonomous locomotion problem for climbing obstacles. First, a reactive controller evaluates the appropriate geometric configuration based on terrain and vehicle geometric considerations. Then, a reinforcement learning algorithm finds alternative solutions when the reactive controller gets stuck while climbing an obstacle. The methodology combines reactivity to learning. The controllers have been demonstrated in box and stair climbing simulations. The experiments illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach for crossing obstacles.

Autonomic Cluster Management System (ACMS): A Demonstration of Autonomic Principles at Work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baldassari, James D.; Kopec, Christopher L.; Leshay, Eric S.; Truszkowski, Walt; Finkel, David

2005-01-01

Cluster computing, whereby a large number of simple processors or nodes are combined together to apparently function as a single powerful computer, has emerged as a research area in its own right. The approach offers a relatively inexpensive means of achieving significant computational capabilities for high-performance computing applications, while simultaneously affording the ability to. increase that capability simply by adding more (inexpensive) processors. However, the task of manually managing and con.guring a cluster quickly becomes impossible as the cluster grows in size. Autonomic computing is a relatively new approach to managing complex systems that can potentially solve many of the problems inherent in cluster management. We describe the development of a prototype Automatic Cluster Management System (ACMS) that exploits autonomic properties in automating cluster management.

Autonomic Management of Space Missions. Chapter 12

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G.; Rash, James L.; Truszkowski, Walt; Rouff, Christopher A.; Sterritt, Roy

2006-01-01

With NASA s renewed commitment to outer space exploration, greater emphasis is being placed on both human and robotic exploration. Even when humans are involved in the exploration, human tending of assets becomes cost-prohibitive or in many cases is simply not feasible. In addition, certain exploration missions will require spacecraft that will be capable of venturing where humans cannot be sent. Early space missions were operated manually from ground control centers with little or no automated operations. In the mid-l980s, the high costs of satellite operations prompted NASA, and others, to begin automating as many functions as possible. In our context, a system is autonomous if it can achieve its goals without human intervention. A number of more-or-less automated ground systems exist today, but work continues with the goal being to reduce operations costs to even lower levels. Cost reductions can be achieved in a number of areas. Ground control and spacecraft operations are two such areas where greater autonomy can reduce costs. As a consequence, autonomy is increasingly seen as a critical approach for robotic missions and for some aspects of manned missions. Although autonomy will be critical for the success of future missions (and indeed will enable certain kinds of science data gathering approaches), missions imbued with autonomy must also exhibit autonomic properties. Exploitation of autonomy alone, without emphasis on autonomic properties, will leave spacecraft vulnerable to the dangerous environments in which they must operate. Without autonomic properties, a spacecraft may be unable to recognize negative environmental effects on its components and subsystems, or may be unable to take any action to ameliorate the effects. The spacecraft, though operating autonomously, may then sustain a degradation of performance of components or subsystems, and consequently may have a reduced potential for achieving mission objectives. In extreme cases, lack of autonomic

Autonomous Cryogenics Loading Operations Simulation Software: Knowledgebase Autonomous Test Engineer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wehner, Walter S.

2012-01-01

The Simulation Software, KATE (Knowledgebase Autonomous Test Engineer), is used to demonstrate the automatic identification of faults in a system. The ACLO (Autonomous Cryogenics Loading Operation) project uses KATE to monitor and find faults in the loading of the cryogenics int o a vehicle fuel tank. The KATE software interfaces with the IHM (Integrated Health Management) systems bus to communicate with other systems that are part of ACLO. One system that KATE uses the IHM bus to communicate with is AIS (Advanced Inspection System). KATE will send messages to AIS when there is a detected anomaly. These messages include visual inspection of specific valves, pressure gauges and control messages to have AIS open or close manual valves. My goals include implementing the connection to the IHM bus within KATE and for the AIS project. I will also be working on implementing changes to KATE's Ul and implementing the physics objects in KATE that will model portions of the cryogenics loading operation.

Programmable and autonomous computing machine made of biomolecules

PubMed Central

Benenson, Yaakov; Paz-Elizur, Tamar; Adar, Rivka; Keinan, Ehud; Livneh, Zvi; Shapiro, Ehud

2013-01-01

Devices that convert information from one form into another according to a definite procedure are known as automata. One such hypothetical device is the universal Turing machine1, which stimulated work leading to the development of modern computers. The Turing machine and its special cases2, including finite automata3, operate by scanning a data tape, whose striking analogy to information-encoding biopolymers inspired several designs for molecular DNA computers4–8. Laboratory-scale computing using DNA and human-assisted protocols has been demonstrated9–15, but the realization of computing devices operating autonomously on the molecular scale remains rare16–20. Here we describe a programmable finite automaton comprising DNA and DNA-manipulating enzymes that solves computational problems autonomously. The automaton’s hardware consists of a restriction nuclease and ligase, the software and input are encoded by double-stranded DNA, and programming amounts to choosing appropriate software molecules. Upon mixing solutions containing these components, the automaton processes the input molecule via a cascade of restriction, hybridization and ligation cycles, producing a detectable output molecule that encodes the automaton’s final state, and thus the computational result. In our implementation 1012 automata sharing the same software run independently and in parallel on inputs (which could, in principle, be distinct) in 120 μl solution at room temperature at a combined rate of 109 transitions per second with a transition fidelity greater than 99.8%, consuming less than 10−10 W. PMID:11719800

Economic Impact of the Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Technical Report. NCES 2007-178

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphreys, Jeffrey

2006-01-01

There is widespread recognition within the academic community of the need to inform various constituencies of the economic value that colleges and universities convey to their host communities. This report examines data from the National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the short-term economic impact…

Adapting on Demand Examination System in National Open University of Nigeria End of Semester Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okonkwo, Charity Akuadi

2011-01-01

Teaching-learning process is incomplete without effective and meaningful assessment of students learning outcomes. This applies to both conventional modes of education as well as to open and distance learning modes. So far, conduct of examinations at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has been cumbersome and be-decked with "hydra…

Autonomic Physiological Response Patterns Related to Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melis, Cor; van Boxtel, Anton

2007-01-01

We examined autonomic physiological responses induced by six different cognitive ability tasks, varying in complexity, that were selected on the basis of on Guilford's Structure of Intellect model. In a group of 52 participants, task performance was measured together with nine different autonomic response measures and respiration rate. Weighted…

Laser Range and Bearing Finder for Autonomous Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Granade, Stephen R.

2004-01-01

NASA has recently re-confirmed their interest in autonomous systems as an enabling technology for future missions. In order for autonomous missions to be possible, highly-capable relative sensor systems are needed to determine an object's distance, direction, and orientation. This is true whether the mission is autonomous in-space assembly, rendezvous and docking, or rover surface navigation. Advanced Optical Systems, Inc. has developed a wide-angle laser range and bearing finder (RBF) for autonomous space missions. The laser RBF has a number of features that make it well-suited for autonomous missions. It has an operating range of 10 m to 5 km, with a 5 deg field of view. Its wide field of view removes the need for scanning systems such as gimbals, eliminating moving parts and making the sensor simpler and space qualification easier. Its range accuracy is 1% or better. It is designed to operate either as a stand-alone sensor or in tandem with a sensor that returns range, bearing, and orientation at close ranges, such as NASA's Advanced Video Guidance Sensor. We have assembled the initial prototype and are currently testing it. We will discuss the laser RBF's design and specifications. Keywords: laser range and bearing finder, autonomous rendezvous and docking, space sensors, on-orbit sensors, advanced video guidance sensor

The autonomous sciencecraft constellations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherwood, R. L.; Chien, S.; Castano, R.; Rabideau, G.

2003-01-01

The Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment (ASE) will fly onboard the Air Force TechSat 21 constellation of three spacecraft scheduled for launch in 2006. ASE uses onboard continuous planning, robust task and goal-based execution, model-based mode identification and reconfiguration, and onboard machine learning and pattern recognition to radically increase science return by enabling intelligent downlink selection and autonomous retargeting. In this paper we discuss how these AI technologies are synergistically integrated in a hybrid multi-layer control architecture to enable a virtual spacecraft science agent. Demonstration of these capabilities in a flight environment will open up tremendous new opportunities in planetary science, space physics, and earth science that would be unreachable without this technology.

Contingency Software in Autonomous Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutz, Robyn; Patterson-Hine, Ann

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the development of contingency software for autonomous systems. Autonomous vehicles currently have a limited capacity to diagnose and mitigate failures. There is a need to be able to handle a broader range of contingencies. The goals of the project are: 1. Speed up diagnosis and mitigation of anomalous situations.2.Automatically handle contingencies, not just failures.3.Enable projects to select a degree of autonomy consistent with their needs and to incrementally introduce more autonomy.4.Augment on-board fault protection with verified contingency scripts

A System for Fast Navigation of Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

AD-A243 523 4, jj A System for Fast Navigation of Autonomous Vehicles Sanjiv Singh, Dai Feng, Paul Keller, Gary Shaffer, Wen Fan Shi, Dong Hun Shin...FUNDING NUMBERS A System for Fast Navigation of Autonomous Vehicles 6. AUTHOR(S) S. Singh, D. Feng, P. Keller, G. Shaffer, W.F. Shi, D.H. Shin, J. West...common in the control of autonomous vehicles to establish the necessary kinematic models but to ignore an explicit representation of the vehicle dynamics

State of security at US colleges and universities: a national stakeholder assessment and recommendations.

PubMed

Greenberg, Sheldon F

2007-09-01

In 2004 the US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, sponsored a National Summit on Campus Public Safety. The summit brought together various stakeholders including campus police and security officials, local police chiefs, college and university faculty and administrators, federal officials, students and parents, and community leaders to address the issues and complexities of campus safety. Delegates to the summit identified key issues in campus safety and security, which included establishing a national center on campus safety, balancing traditional open environments with the need to secure vulnerable sites, improving coordination with state and local police, reducing internal fragmentation, elevating professionalism, and increasing eligibility of campus police and security agencies to compete for federal law enforcement funds. Focus on "active shooters" on campus, resulting from the Virginia Tech incident, should not diminish attention placed on the broader, more prevalent safety and security issues facing the nation's educational campuses. Recommendations resulting from the summit called for establishing a national agenda on campus safety, formation of a national center on campus public safety, and increased opportunity for campus police and security agencies to compete for federal and state funds.

Autonomous power expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringer, Mark J.; Quinn, Todd M.

1990-01-01

The goal of the Autonomous Power System (APS) program is to develop and apply intelligent problem solving and control technologies to the Space Station Freedom Electrical Power Systems (SSF/EPS). The objectives of the program are to establish artificial intelligence/expert system technology paths, to create knowledge based tools with advanced human-operator interfaces, and to integrate and interface knowledge-based and conventional control schemes. This program is being developed at the NASA-Lewis. The APS Brassboard represents a subset of a 20 KHz Space Station Power Management And Distribution (PMAD) testbed. A distributed control scheme is used to manage multiple levels of computers and switchgear. The brassboard is comprised of a set of intelligent switchgear used to effectively switch power from the sources to the loads. The Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) portion of the APS program integrates a knowledge based fault diagnostic system, a power resource scheduler, and an interface to the APS Brassboard. The system includes knowledge bases for system diagnostics, fault detection and isolation, and recommended actions. The scheduler autonomously assigns start times to the attached loads based on temporal and power constraints. The scheduler is able to work in a near real time environment for both scheduling and dynamic replanning.

Autonomous power expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringer, Mark J.; Quinn, Todd M.

1990-01-01

The goal of the Autonomous Power System (APS) program is to develop and apply intelligent problem solving and control technologies to the Space Station Freedom Electrical Power Systems (SSF/EPS). The objectives of the program are to establish artificial intelligence/expert system technology paths, to create knowledge based tools with advanced human-operator interfaces, and to integrate and interface knowledge-based and conventional control schemes. This program is being developed at the NASA-Lewis. The APS Brassboard represents a subset of a 20 KHz Space Station Power Management And Distribution (PMAD) testbed. A distributed control scheme is used to manage multiple levels of computers and switchgear. The brassboard is comprised of a set of intelligent switchgear used to effectively switch power from the sources to the loads. The Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) portion of the APS program integrates a knowledge based fault diagnostic system, a power resource scheduler, and an interface to the APS Brassboard. The system includes knowledge bases for system diagnostics, fault detection and isolation, and recommended actions. The scheduler autonomously assigns start times to the attached loads based on temporal and power constraints. The scheduler is able to work in a near real time environment for both scheduling an dynamic replanning.

Towards autonomous vehicles.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-11-01

We are moving towards an age of autonomous vehicles. Cycles of innovation initiated in the public and private sectors : have led one into another since the 1990s; and out of these efforts have sprung a variety of Advanced Driver Assistance : Systems ...

The role of Ethiopia's public universities in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Keeffe, Paul

2016-12-01

In recent years, the Ethiopian government has embarked on an ambitious agriculture development strategy aimed at raising Ethiopia to the status of a middle-income-level country by 2025. Encouraged by the international development push behind the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the rapid expansion of public universities has taken centre stage in facilitating the country's aim of equipping a new generation with the expertise needed to fuel the country's economic development. While impressive strides have been made over the last two decades, various development challenges threaten to derail this promising progress. This article examines three of the main challenges - urbanisation, climate change and food security - and the potential for universities to address them. Based on a study using key informant analysis research with 50 experts in Ethiopian education and development, the author concludes that the developing public university system offers promising capabilities to assist the country on its developmental path despite many inherent problems.

Psychology in Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz, Eleonora Rubio

2011-01-01

The first formal psychology course taught in Mexico was in 1896 at Mexico's National University; today, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM in Spanish). The modern psychology from Europe and the US in the late 19th century were the primary influences of Mexican psychology, as well as psychoanalysis and both clinical and experimental…

High-frequency autonomic modulation: a new model for analysis of autonomic cardiac control.

PubMed

Champéroux, Pascal; Fesler, Pierre; Judé, Sebastien; Richard, Serge; Le Guennec, Jean-Yves; Thireau, Jérôme

2018-05-03

Increase in high-frequency beat-to-beat heart rate oscillations by torsadogenic hERG blockers appears to be associated with signs of parasympathetic and sympathetic co-activation which cannot be assessed directly using classic methods of heart rate variability analysis. The present work aimed to find a translational model that would allow this particular state of the autonomic control of heart rate to be assessed. High-frequency heart rate and heart period oscillations were analysed within discrete 10 s intervals in a cohort of 200 healthy human subjects. Results were compared to data collected in non-human primates and beagle dogs during pharmacological challenges and torsadogenic hERG blockers exposure, in 127 genotyped LQT1 patients on/off β-blocker treatment and in subgroups of smoking and non-smoking subjects. Three states of autonomic modulation, S1 (parasympathetic predominance) to S3 (reciprocal parasympathetic withdrawal/sympathetic activation), were differentiated to build a new model of heart rate variability referred to as high-frequency autonomic modulation. The S2 state corresponded to a specific state during which both parasympathetic and sympathetic systems were coexisting or co-activated. S2 oscillations were proportionally increased by torsadogenic hERG-blocking drugs, whereas smoking caused an increase in S3 oscillations. The combined analysis of the magnitude of high-frequency heart rate and high-frequency heart period oscillations allows a refined assessment of heart rate autonomic modulation applicable to long-term ECG recordings and offers new approaches to assessment of the risk of sudden death both in terms of underlying mechanisms and sensitivity. © 2018 The Authors. British Journal of Pharmacology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Pharmacological Society.

Afghanistan as a Federal System with Autonomous Regions

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-21

took place before any type of long-term government in Afghanistan was solidified. In 1927, the new self -appointed King Amanullah, embarked upon a...38 Scott Greer, Nationalism and Self -Government, (State University, NY, 2007) 2-3 19 people with differing...39 Greer, Nationalism and Self -Government, 3-4 40 Greer, Nationalism and Self -Government, 6 41 Henry Hale, “The Federal Option

Autonomous robot software development using simple software components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, Thomas M.; Chung, Chan-Jin

2004-10-01

Developing software to control a sophisticated lane-following, obstacle-avoiding, autonomous robot can be demanding and beyond the capabilities of novice programmers - but it doesn"t have to be. A creative software design utilizing only basic image processing and a little algebra, has been employed to control the LTU-AISSIG autonomous robot - a contestant in the 2004 Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC). This paper presents a software design equivalent to that used during the IGVC, but with much of the complexity removed. The result is an autonomous robot software design, that is robust, reliable, and can be implemented by programmers with a limited understanding of image processing. This design provides a solid basis for further work in autonomous robot software, as well as an interesting and achievable robotics project for students.

The nature of the autonomic dysfunction in multiple system atrophy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parikh, Samir M.; Diedrich, Andre; Biaggioni, Italo; Robertson, David

2002-01-01

The concept that multiple system atrophy (MSA, Shy-Drager syndrome) is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system is several decades old. While there has been renewed interest in the movement disorder associated with MSA, two recent consensus statements confirm the centrality of the autonomic disorder to the diagnosis. Here, we reexamine the autonomic pathophysiology in MSA. Whereas MSA is often thought of as "autonomic failure", new evidence indicates substantial persistence of functioning sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves even in clinically advanced disease. These findings help explain some of the previously poorly understood features of MSA. Recognition that MSA entails persistent, constitutive autonomic tone requires a significant revision of our concepts of its diagnosis and therapy. We will review recent evidence bearing on autonomic tone in MSA and discuss their therapeutic implications, particularly in terms of the possible development of a bionic baroreflex for better control of blood pressure.

The Hidden Topography of Australia's Arts Nation: The Contribution of Universities to the Artistic Landscape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Jenny

2016-01-01

In "Arts Nation" 2015, the Australia Council documented the current landscape of artistic endeavour in Australia, acknowledging that there are still gaps that need to be filled to build a greater public understanding of the arts in Australia. The contribution of Australian universities to the arts is one such lacuna. This paper seeks to…

The physical examination as a window into autonomic disorders.

PubMed

Cheshire, William P; Goldstein, David S

2018-02-01

Signs of autonomic dysfunction, although at times seemingly mysterious, can contribute to diagnostic clarification and clinical investigation. Even when sophisticated autonomic testing equipment is not readily available, the experienced clinician, through educated observation and inductive reasoning-in conjunction with an intelligently obtained autonomic medical history-can discern much by a careful physical examination. Elements of the autonomic examination include variations in the pulse, postural measurements of blood pressure and heart rate, pupillary light reactions, skin coloration and temperature, patterns of sweating, and other organ-specific physical findings relevant to the individual patient's presentation. Especially important is the often neglected practice of measuring the blood pressure standing up, for orthostatic hypotension cannot be diagnosed by symptoms alone and is a common source of potential morbidity. The examination should be carried out in the context of understanding the syndromic nature of abnormalities of components of the autonomic nervous system.

Longitudinal Control for Mengshi Autonomous Vehicle via Cloud Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, H. B.; Zhang, X. Y.; Li, D. Y.; Liu, Y. C.

2018-03-01

Dynamic robustness and stability control is a requirement for self-driving of autonomous vehicle. Longitudinal control method of autonomous is a key technique which has drawn the attention of industry and academe. In this paper, we present a longitudinal control algorithm based on cloud model for Mengshi autonomous vehicle to ensure the dynamic stability and tracking performance of Mengshi autonomous vehicle. An experiments is applied to test the implementation of the longitudinal control algorithm. Empirical results show that if the longitudinal control algorithm based Gauss cloud model are applied to calculate the acceleration, and the vehicles drive at different speeds, a stable longitudinal control effect is achieved.

Integrated System for Autonomous Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, Steve; Sherwood, Robert; Tran, Daniel; Cichy, Benjamin; Davies, Ashley; Castano, Rebecca; Rabideau, Gregg; Frye, Stuart; Trout, Bruce; Shulman, Seth;

Cooperative Control of Distributed Autonomous Vehicles in Adversarial Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-14

COOPERATIVE CONTROL OF DISTRIBUTED AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN ADVERSARIAL ENVIRONMENTS Grant #F49620–01–1–0361 Final Report Jeff Shamma Department of...CONTRACT NUMBER F49620-01-1-0361 5b. GRANT NUMBER 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE COOPERATIVE CONTROL OF DISTRIBUTED AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN...single dominant language or a distribution of languages. A relation to multivehicle systems is understanding how highly autonomous vehicles on extended

Achieving and Sustaining Universal Health Coverage: Fiscal Reform of the National Health Insurance in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lan, Jesse Yu-Chen

2017-12-01

The paper discusses the expansion of the universal health coverage (UHC) in Taiwan through the establishment of National Health Insurance (NHI), and the fiscal crisis it caused. Two key questions are addressed: How did the NHI gradually achieve universal coverage, and yet cause Taiwanese health spending to escalate to fiscal crisis? What measures have been taken to reform the NHI finance and achieve moderate success to date? The main argument of this paper is that the Taiwanese Government did try to implement various reforms to save costs and had moderate success, but the path-dependent process of reform does not allow increasing contribution rates significantly and thereby makes sustainability challenging.

New Small Autonomous Schools District Policy. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oakland Unified School District, CA.

Inspired by the gains in student achievement realized by the small schools movement in New York City, the Oakland Unified School District (California) has proposed creating a network of 10 new, small autonomous (NSA) schools over the next 3 years. School size will range between 250 and 500 students, depending on grade level. "Autonomous"…

Are Autonomous and Controlled Motivations School-Subjects-Specific?

PubMed

Chanal, Julien; Guay, Frédéric

2015-01-01

This research sought to test whether autonomous and controlled motivations are specific to school subjects or more general to the school context. In two cross-sectional studies, 252 elementary school children (43.7% male; mean age = 10.7 years, SD = 1.3 years) and 334 junior high school children (49.7% male, mean age = 14.07 years, SD = 1.01 years) were administered a questionnaire assessing their motivation for various school subjects. Results based on structural equation modeling using the correlated trait-correlated method minus one model (CTCM-1) showed that autonomous and controlled motivations assessed at the school subject level are not equally school-subject-specific. We found larger specificity effects for autonomous (intrinsic and identified) than for controlled (introjected and external) motivation. In both studies, results of factor loadings and the correlations with self-concept and achievement demonstrated that more evidence of specificity was obtained for autonomous regulations than for controlled ones. These findings suggest a new understanding of the hierarchical and multidimensional academic structure of autonomous and controlled motivations and of the mechanisms involved in the development of types of regulations for school subjects.

Are Autonomous and Controlled Motivations School-Subjects-Specific?

PubMed Central

Chanal, Julien; Guay, Frédéric

2015-01-01

This research sought to test whether autonomous and controlled motivations are specific to school subjects or more general to the school context. In two cross-sectional studies, 252 elementary school children (43.7% male; mean age = 10.7 years, SD = 1.3 years) and 334 junior high school children (49.7% male, mean age = 14.07 years, SD = 1.01 years) were administered a questionnaire assessing their motivation for various school subjects. Results based on structural equation modeling using the correlated trait-correlated method minus one model (CTCM-1) showed that autonomous and controlled motivations assessed at the school subject level are not equally school-subject-specific. We found larger specificity effects for autonomous (intrinsic and identified) than for controlled (introjected and external) motivation. In both studies, results of factor loadings and the correlations with self-concept and achievement demonstrated that more evidence of specificity was obtained for autonomous regulations than for controlled ones. These findings suggest a new understanding of the hierarchical and multidimensional academic structure of autonomous and controlled motivations and of the mechanisms involved in the development of types of regulations for school subjects. PMID:26247788

Electrical and computer architecture of an autonomous Mars sample return rover prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leslie, Caleb Thomas

Space truly is the final frontier. As man looks to explore beyond the confines of our planet, we use the lessons learned from traveling to the Moon and orbiting in the International Space Station, and we set our sights upon Mars. For decades, Martian probes consisting of orbiters, landers, and even robotic rovers have been sent to study Mars. Their discoveries have yielded a wealth of new scientific knowledge regarding the Martian environment and the secrets it holds. Armed with this knowledge, NASA and others have begun preparations to send humans to Mars with the ultimate goal of colonization and permanent human habitation. The ultimate success of any long term manned mission to Mars will require in situ resource utilization techniques and technologies to both support their stay and make a return trip to Earth viable. A sample return mission to Mars will play a pivotal role in developing these necessary technologies to ensure such an endeavor to be a successful one. This thesis describes an electrical and computer architecture for autonomous robotic applications. The architecture is one that is modular, scalable, and adaptable. These traits are achieved by maximizing commonality and reusability within modules that can be added, removed, or reconfigured within the system. This architecture, called the Modular Architecture for Autonomous Robotic Systems (MAARS), was implemented on the University of Alabama's Collection and Extraction Rover for Extraterrestrial Samples (CERES). The CERES rover competed in the 2016 NASA Sample Return Robot Challenge where robots were tasked with autonomously finding, collecting, and returning samples to the landing site.

Comparative anatomy of the autonomic nervous system.

PubMed

Nilsson, Stefan

2011-11-16

This short review aims to point out the general anatomical features of the autonomic nervous systems of non-mammalian vertebrates. In addition it attempts to outline the similarities and also the increased complexity of the autonomic nervous patterns from fish to tetrapods. With the possible exception of the cyclostomes, perhaps the most striking feature of the vertebrate autonomic nervous system is the similarity between the vertebrate classes. An evolution of the complexity of the system can be seen, with the segmental ganglia of elasmobranchs incompletely connected longitudinally, while well developed paired sympathetic chains are present in teleosts and the tetrapods. In some groups the sympathetic chains may be reduced (dipnoans and caecilians), and have yet to be properly described in snakes. Cranial autonomic pathways are present in the oculomotor (III) and vagus (X) nerves of gnathostome fish and the tetrapods, and with the evolution of salivary and lachrymal glands in the tetrapods, also in the facial (VII) and glossopharyngeal (IX) nerves. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Autonomous Soaring: The Montague Cross Country Challenge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Daniel J.

A novel method was developed for locating and allowing gliders to stay in thermals (convective updrafts). The method was applied to a 5 kg, glider, called ALOFT (autonomous locator of thermals), that was entered in the 2008 Montague Cross-Country Challenge held on 13-15 June 2008 in Montague, California. In this competition, RC (remote controlled) gliders in the 5 kg class competed on the basis of speed and distance. ALOFT was the first known autonomously soaring aircraft to enter a soaring competition and its entry provided a valuable comparison between the effectiveness of manual soaring and autonomous soaring. ALOFT placed third in the competition in overall points, outperforming manually-flown aircraft in its ability to center and utilize updrafts, especially at higher altitudes and in the presence of wind, to fly more optimal airspeeds, and to fly directly between turn points. The results confirm that autonomous soaring is a bona fide engineering sub-discipline, which is expected to be of interest to engineers who might find this has some utility in the aviation industry.

Mexico's Oxbridge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haussman, Fay

1979-01-01

For 400 years the National Autonomous University of Mexico has remained at the hub of the country's intellectual and political life. The history of the University from the Mayas and the Aztecs, University expansion, upward mobility of students, and student pressure groups and politics are described. (MLW)

Conference proceedings of the Northeast Autonomous Vehicle Summit.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-24

The development of autonomous vehicle technology and potential adoption of autonomous vehicles is occurring at a rapid rate in the United States. As this technology evolves, there are many technical, logistical and legal issues that need to be addres...

Autonomous Rovers for Polar Science Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lever, J. H.; Ray, L. E.; Williams, R. M.; Morlock, A. M.; Burzynski, A. M.

2012-12-01

We have developed and deployed two over-snow autonomous rovers able to conduct remote science campaigns on Polar ice sheets. Yeti is an 80-kg, four-wheel-drive (4WD) battery-powered robot with 3 - 4 hr endurance, and Cool Robot is a 60-kg 4WD solar-powered robot with unlimited endurance during Polar summers. Both robots navigate using GPS waypoint-following to execute pre-planned courses autonomously, and they can each carry or tow 20 - 160 kg instrument payloads over typically firm Polar snowfields. In 2008 - 12, we deployed Yeti to conduct autonomous ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys to detect hidden crevasses to help establish safe routes for overland resupply of research stations at South Pole, Antarctica, and Summit, Greenland. We also deployed Yeti with GPR at South Pole in 2011 to identify the locations of potentially hazardous buried buildings from the original 1950's-era station. Autonomous surveys remove personnel from safety risks posed during manual GPR surveys by undetected crevasses or buried buildings. Furthermore, autonomous surveys can yield higher quality and more comprehensive data than manual ones: Yeti's low ground pressure (20 kPa) allows it to cross thinly bridged crevasses or other voids without interrupting a survey, and well-defined survey grids allow repeated detection of buried voids to improve detection reliability and map their extent. To improve survey efficiency, we have automated the mapping of detected hazards, currently identified via post-survey manual review of the GPR data. Additionally, we are developing machine-learning algorithms to detect crevasses autonomously in real time, with reliability potentially higher than manual real-time detection. These algorithms will enable the rover to relay crevasse locations to a base station for near real-time mapping and decision-making. We deployed Cool Robot at Summit Station in 2005 to verify its mobility and power budget over Polar snowfields. Using solar power, this zero

Dynamics control of autonomous vehicle at driving limits and experiment on an autonomous formula racing car

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Jun; Hu, Jibin

2017-06-01

In this paper, a novel dynamics controller for autonomous vehicle to simultaneously control it to the driving limits and follow the desired path is proposed. The dynamics controller consists of longitudinal and lateral controllers. In longitudinal controller, the G-G diagram is utilized to describe the driving and handling limits of the vehicle. The accurate G-G diagram is obtained based on phase plane approach and a nonlinear vehicle dynamic model with accurate tyre model. In lateral controller, the tyre cornering stiffness is estimated to improve the robustness of the controller. The stability analysis of the closed-looped error dynamics shows that the controller remains stable against parameters uncertainties in extreme condition such as tyre saturation. Finally, an electric autonomous Formula race car developed by the authors is used to validate the proposed controller. The autonomous driving experiment on an oval race track shows the efficiency and robustness of the proposed controller.

Sexual Assault Policies and Consent Definitions: A Nationally Representative Investigation of U.S. Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Laurie M.; Treves-Kagan, Sarah; Magee, Erin P.; DeLong, Stephanie M.; Ashley, Olivia S.; Macy, Rebecca J.; Martin, Sandra L.; Moracco, Kathryn E.; Bowling, J. Michael

2017-01-01

Campus sexual assault (SA) policies and sexual consent definitions have not been widely studied. The study team conducted a nationally representative review of college and university websites (n = 995), assessing the prevalence of publicly accessible online policies and definitions and examining associations with school characteristics. A content…

Control of autonomous ground vehicles: a brief technical review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babak, Shahian-Jahromi; Hussain, Syed A.; Karakas, Burak; Cetin, Sabri

2017-07-01

This paper presents a brief review of the developments achieved in autonomous vehicle systems technology. A concise history of autonomous driver assistance systems is presented, followed by a review of current state of the art sensor technology used in autonomous vehicles. Standard sensor fusion method that has been recently explored is discussed. Finally, advances in embedded software methodologies that define the logic between sensory information and actuation decisions are reviewed.

Progress towards autonomous, intelligent systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lum, Henry; Heer, Ewald

1987-01-01

An aggressive program has been initiated to develop, integrate, and implement autonomous systems technologies starting with today's expert systems and evolving to autonomous, intelligent systems by the end of the 1990s. This program includes core technology developments and demonstration projects for technology evaluation and validation. This paper discusses key operational frameworks in the content of systems autonomy applications and then identifies major technological challenges, primarily in artificial intelligence areas. Program content and progress made towards critical technologies and demonstrations that have been initiated to achieve the required future capabilities in the year 2000 era are discussed.

Gas House Autonomous System Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Luke; Edsall, Ashley

2015-01-01

Gas House Autonomous System Monitoring (GHASM) will employ Integrated System Health Monitoring (ISHM) of cryogenic fluids in the High Pressure Gas Facility at Stennis Space Center. The preliminary focus of development incorporates the passive monitoring and eventual commanding of the Nitrogen System. ISHM offers generic system awareness, adept at using concepts rather than specific error cases. As an enabler for autonomy, ISHM provides capabilities inclusive of anomaly detection, diagnosis, and abnormality prediction. Advancing ISHM and Autonomous Operation functional capabilities enhances quality of data, optimizes safety, improves cost effectiveness, and has direct benefits to a wide spectrum of aerospace applications.

Alleviating Autonomic Dysreflexia after Spinal Cord Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

autonomic disorders greatly influence the functional, psychological , and socioeconomic aspects of patients’ lives. Compared to numer- ous...The disruption of descending autonomic pathways renders abnormalities in multiple organ systems including cardiovascular function, respiration...the rise in blood pressure, the integration center in the brainstem transmits signals to the heart via parasympathetic pathways to reduce the heart

Safe and Autonomous Drones for Urban Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krishnakumar, Kalmanje

2016-01-01

Autonomous vehicles are no longer futuristic technology; in fact, there are already cars with self-driving features on the road. Over the next five years, the connected vehicles will disrupt the entire automotive and UAS ecosystems. The industry will undergo fundamental change as semi-autonomous driving and flying emerges, followed by an eventual shift to full autonomy.

A translational in vivo model of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias: therapeutic characterization.

PubMed

Akerman, Simon; Holland, Philip R; Summ, Oliver; Lasalandra, Michele P; Goadsby, Peter J

2012-12-01

Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias are highly disabling primary headache disorders, characterized by severe unilateral head pain and associated ipsilateral cranial autonomic features. There is limited understanding of their pathophysiology and how and where treatments act to reduce symptoms; this is significantly hindered by a lack of animal models. We have developed the first animal model to explore trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, using stimulation within the brainstem, at the level of the superior salivatory nucleus, to activate the trigeminal autonomic reflex arc. Using electrophysiological recording of neurons of the trigeminocervical complex and laser Doppler blood flow changes around the ipsilateral lacrimal duct, superior salivatory nucleus stimulation exhibited both neuronal trigeminovascular and cranial autonomic manifestations. These responses were specifically inhibited by the autonomic ganglion blocker hexamethonium bromide. These data demonstrate that brainstem activation may be the driver of both sensory and autonomic symptoms in these disorders, and part of this activation may be via the parasympathetic outflow to the cranial vasculature. Additionally, both sensory and autonomic manifestations were significantly inhibited by highly effective treatments for trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, such as oxygen, indomethacin and triptans, and some part of their therapeutic action appears to be specifically on the parasympathetic outflow to the cranial vasculature. Treatments more used to migraine, such as naproxen and a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor inhibitor, olcegepant, were less effective in this model. This is the first model to represent the phenotype of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias and their response to therapies, and indicates the parasympathetic pathway may be uniquely involved in their pathophysiology and targeted to relieve symptoms.

Evaluating the autonomic nervous system in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux.

PubMed

Huang, Wan-Ju; Shu, Chih-Hung; Chou, Kun-Ta; Wang, Yi-Fen; Hsu, Yen-Bin; Ho, Ching-Yin; Lan, Ming-Ying

2013-06-01

The pathogenesis of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) remains unclear. It is linked to but distinct from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which has been shown to be related to disturbed autonomic regulation. The aim of this study is to investigate whether autonomic dysfunction also plays a role in the pathogenesis of LPR. Case-control study. Tertiary care center. Seventeen patients with LPR and 19 healthy controls, aged between 19 and 50 years, were enrolled in the study. The patients were diagnosed with LPR if they had a reflux symptom index (RSI) ≥ 13 and a reflux finding score (RFS) ≥ 7. Spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) analysis was used to assess autonomic function. Anxiety and depression levels measured by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) were also conducted. In HRV analysis, high frequency (HF) represents the parasympathetic activity of the autonomic nervous system, whereas low frequency (LF) represents the total autonomic activity. There were no significant differences in the LF power and HF power between the 2 groups. However, significantly lower HF% (P = .003) and a higher LF/HF ratio (P = .012) were found in patients with LPR, who demonstrated poor autonomic modulation and higher sympathetic activity. Anxiety was also frequently observed in the patient group. The study suggests that autonomic dysfunction seems to be involved in the pathogenesis of LPR. The potential beneficial effect of autonomic nervous system modulation as a therapeutic modality for LPR merits further investigation.

Autonomous Vehicles: Disengagements, Accidents and Reaction Times.

PubMed

Dixit, Vinayak V; Chand, Sai; Nair, Divya J

2016-01-01

Autonomous vehicles are being viewed with scepticism in their ability to improve safety and the driving experience. A critical issue with automated driving at this stage of its development is that it is not yet reliable and safe. When automated driving fails, or is limited, the autonomous mode disengages and the drivers are expected to resume manual driving. For this transition to occur safely, it is imperative that drivers react in an appropriate and timely manner. Recent data released from the California trials provide compelling insights into the current factors influencing disengagements of autonomous mode. Here we show that the number of accidents observed has a significantly high correlation with the autonomous miles travelled. The reaction times to take control of the vehicle in the event of a disengagement was found to have a stable distribution across different companies at 0.83 seconds on average. However, there were differences observed in reaction times based on the type of disengagements, type of roadway and autonomous miles travelled. Lack of trust caused by the exposure to automated disengagements was found to increase the likelihood to take control of the vehicle manually. Further, with increased vehicle miles travelled the reaction times were found to increase, which suggests an increased level of trust with more vehicle miles travelled. We believe that this research would provide insurers, planners, traffic management officials and engineers fundamental insights into trust and reaction times that would help them design and engineer their systems.

Autonomous Vehicles: Disengagements, Accidents and Reaction Times

PubMed Central

Dixit, Vinayak V.; Chand, Sai; Nair, Divya J.

2016-01-01

Autonomous vehicles are being viewed with scepticism in their ability to improve safety and the driving experience. A critical issue with automated driving at this stage of its development is that it is not yet reliable and safe. When automated driving fails, or is limited, the autonomous mode disengages and the drivers are expected to resume manual driving. For this transition to occur safely, it is imperative that drivers react in an appropriate and timely manner. Recent data released from the California trials provide compelling insights into the current factors influencing disengagements of autonomous mode. Here we show that the number of accidents observed has a significantly high correlation with the autonomous miles travelled. The reaction times to take control of the vehicle in the event of a disengagement was found to have a stable distribution across different companies at 0.83 seconds on average. However, there were differences observed in reaction times based on the type of disengagements, type of roadway and autonomous miles travelled. Lack of trust caused by the exposure to automated disengagements was found to increase the likelihood to take control of the vehicle manually. Further, with increased vehicle miles travelled the reaction times were found to increase, which suggests an increased level of trust with more vehicle miles travelled. We believe that this research would provide insurers, planners, traffic management officials and engineers fundamental insights into trust and reaction times that would help them design and engineer their systems. PMID:27997566

Autonomous Deep-Space Optical Navigation Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'Souza, Christopher

2014-01-01

This project will advance the Autonomous Deep-space navigation capability applied to Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (AR&D) Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) system by testing it on hardware, particularly in a flight processor, with a goal of limited testing in the Integrated Power, Avionics and Software (IPAS) with the ARCM (Asteroid Retrieval Crewed Mission) DRO (Distant Retrograde Orbit) Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (AR&D) scenario. The technology, which will be harnessed, is called 'optical flow', also known as 'visual odometry'. It is being matured in the automotive and SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) applications but has yet to be applied to spacecraft navigation. In light of the tremendous potential of this technique, we believe that NASA needs to design a optical navigation architecture that will use this technique. It is flexible enough to be applicable to navigating around planetary bodies, such as asteroids.

Passive and Self-Powered Autonomous Sensors for Remote Measurements

PubMed Central

Sardini, Emilio; Serpelloni, Mauro

2009-01-01

Autonomous sensors play a very important role in the environmental, structural, and medical fields. The use of this kind of systems can be expanded for several applications, for example in implantable devices inside the human body where it is impossible to use wires. Furthermore, they enable measurements in harsh or hermetic environments, such as under extreme heat, cold, humidity or corrosive conditions. The use of batteries as a power supply for these devices represents one solution, but the size, and sometimes the cost and unwanted maintenance burdens of replacement are important drawbacks. In this paper passive and self-powered autonomous sensors for harsh or hermetical environments without batteries are discussed. Their general architectures are presented. Sensing strategies, communication techniques and power management are analyzed. Then, general building blocks of an autonomous sensor are presented and the design guidelines that such a system must follow are given. Furthermore, this paper reports different proposed applications of autonomous sensors applied in harsh or hermetic environments: two examples of passive autonomous sensors that use telemetric communication are proposed, the first one for humidity measurements and the second for high temperatures. Other examples of self-powered autonomous sensors that use a power harvesting system from electromagnetic fields are proposed for temperature measurements and for airflow speeds. PMID:22399949

[Signs and symptoms of autonomic dysfunction in dysphonic individuals].

PubMed

Park, Kelly; Behlau, Mara

2011-01-01

To verify the occurrence of signs and symptoms of autonomic nervous system dysfunction in individuals with behavioral dysphonia, and to compare it with the results obtained by individuals without vocal complaints. Participants were 128 adult individuals with ages between 14 and 74 years, divided into two groups: behavioral dysphonia (61 subjects) and without vocal complaints (67 subjects). It was administered the Protocol of Autonomic Dysfunction, containing 46 questions: 22 related to the autonomic nervous system and had no direct relationship with voice, 16 related to both autonomic nervous system and voice, six non-relevant questions, and two reliability questions. There was a higher occurrence of reported neurovegetative signs in the group with behavioral dysphonia, in questions related to voice, such as frequent throat clearing, frequent swallowing need, fatigability when speaking, and sore throat. In questions not directly related to voice, dysphonic individuals presented greater occurrence of three out of 22 symptoms: gas, tinnitus and aerophagia. Both groups presented similar results in questions non-relevant to the autonomic nervous system. Reliability questions needed reformulation. Individuals with behavioral dysphonia present higher occurrence of neurovegetative signs and symptoms, particularly those with direct relationship with voice, indicating greater lability of the autonomic nervous system in these subjects.

Passive and self-powered autonomous sensors for remote measurements.

PubMed

Sardini, Emilio; Serpelloni, Mauro

2009-01-01

Autonomous sensors play a very important role in the environmental, structural, and medical fields. The use of this kind of systems can be expanded for several applications, for example in implantable devices inside the human body where it is impossible to use wires. Furthermore, they enable measurements in harsh or hermetic environments, such as under extreme heat, cold, humidity or corrosive conditions. The use of batteries as a power supply for these devices represents one solution, but the size, and sometimes the cost and unwanted maintenance burdens of replacement are important drawbacks. In this paper passive and self-powered autonomous sensors for harsh or hermetical environments without batteries are discussed. Their general architectures are presented. Sensing strategies, communication techniques and power management are analyzed. Then, general building blocks of an autonomous sensor are presented and the design guidelines that such a system must follow are given. Furthermore, this paper reports different proposed applications of autonomous sensors applied in harsh or hermetic environments: two examples of passive autonomous sensors that use telemetric communication are proposed, the first one for humidity measurements and the second for high temperatures. Other examples of self-powered autonomous sensors that use a power harvesting system from electromagnetic fields are proposed for temperature measurements and for airflow speeds.

Abnormal cardiac autonomic regulation in mice lacking ASIC3.

PubMed

Cheng, Ching-Feng; Kuo, Terry B J; Chen, Wei-Nan; Lin, Chao-Chieh; Chen, Chih-Cheng

2014-01-01

Integration of sympathetic and parasympathetic outflow is essential in maintaining normal cardiac autonomic function. Recent studies demonstrate that acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC3) is a sensitive acid sensor for cardiac ischemia and prolonged mild acidification can open ASIC3 and evoke a sustained inward current that fires action potentials in cardiac sensory neurons. However, the physiological role of ASIC3 in cardiac autonomic regulation is not known. In this study, we elucidate the role of ASIC3 in cardiac autonomic function using Asic3(-/-) mice. Asic3(-/-) mice showed normal baseline heart rate and lower blood pressure as compared with their wild-type littermates. Heart rate variability analyses revealed imbalanced autonomic regulation, with decreased sympathetic function. Furthermore, Asic3(-/-) mice demonstrated a blunted response to isoproterenol-induced cardiac tachycardia and prolonged duration to recover to baseline heart rate. Moreover, quantitative RT-PCR analysis of gene expression in sensory ganglia and heart revealed that no gene compensation for muscarinic acetylcholines receptors and beta-adrenalin receptors were found in Asic3(-/-) mice. In summary, we unraveled an important role of ASIC3 in regulating cardiac autonomic function, whereby loss of ASIC3 alters the normal physiological response to ischemic stimuli, which reveals new implications for therapy in autonomic nervous system-related cardiovascular diseases.

An integrated autonomous rendezvous and docking system architecture using Centaur modern avionics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Kurt

1991-01-01

The avionics system for the Centaur upper stage is in the process of being modernized with the current state-of-the-art in strapdown inertial guidance equipment. This equipment includes an integrated flight control processor with a ring laser gyro based inertial guidance system. This inertial navigation unit (INU) uses two MIL-STD-1750A processors and communicates over the MIL-STD-1553B data bus. Commands are translated into load activation through a Remote Control Unit (RCU) which incorporates the use of solid state relays. Also, a programmable data acquisition system replaces separate multiplexer and signal conditioning units. This modern avionics suite is currently being enhanced through independent research and development programs to provide autonomous rendezvous and docking capability using advanced cruise missile image processing technology and integrated GPS navigational aids. A system concept was developed to combine these technologies in order to achieve a fully autonomous rendezvous, docking, and autoland capability. The current system architecture and the evolution of this architecture using advanced modular avionics concepts being pursued for the National Launch System are discussed.

Formal Methods for Autonomic and Swarm-based Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouff, Christopher; Vanderbilt, Amy; Hinchey, Mike; Truszkowski, Walt; Rash, James

2004-01-01

Swarms of intelligent rovers and spacecraft are being considered for a number of future NASA missions. These missions will provide MSA scientist and explorers greater flexibility and the chance to gather more science than traditional single spacecraft missions. These swarms of spacecraft are intended to operate for large periods of time without contact with the Earth. To do this, they must be highly autonomous, have autonomic properties and utilize sophisticated artificial intelligence. The Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm (ANTS) mission is an example of one of the swarm type of missions NASA is considering. This mission will explore the asteroid belt using an insect colony analogy cataloging the mass, density, morphology, and chemical composition of the asteroids, including any anomalous concentrations of specific minerals. Verifying such a system would be a huge task. This paper discusses ongoing work to develop a formal method for verifying swarm and autonomic systems.

The Prevalence and Severity of Autonomic Dysfunction in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

PubMed Central

Pasangulapati, Suresh Babu; Murthy, T. V.; Sivadasan, Ajith; Gideon, L. Rynjah; Prabhakar, A. T.; Sanjith, Aaron; Mathew, Vivek; Alexander, Mathew

2017-01-01

Introduction: In chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), emphasis has been on motor disabilities, and autonomic dysfunction in these patients has not been addressed systematically. Materials and Methods: Autonomic function was prospectively analyzed in 38 patients with CIDP. Quantitative autonomic function testing was done using Finometer® PRO and severity of adrenergic and cardiovagal dysfunction graded according to composite autonomic severity score and sudomotor dysfunction assessed using sympathetic skin response. Results: Thirty-four (89%) patients had features of autonomic dysfunction. Thirty-three (86%) patients had cardiovagal dysfunction, 21 (55%) had adrenergic dysfunction, and 24 (63%) had sudomotor dysfunction. Autonomic dysfunction was mild to moderate in the majority (86%). Conclusions: Autonomic dysfunction in CIDP is underreported and potentially amenable to therapy. Our cohort had a high proportion of adrenergic dysfunction compared to previous studies. PMID:28904461

The National and University Library in Zagreb: The Goal Is Known--How Can It Be Attained?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miletic-Vejzovic, Laila

1994-01-01

Provides an overview of the state of libraries and their resources in Croatia. Highlights include destruction of libraries resulting from the war; the need for centralization, uniformity, and standards; the role of the National and University Library; processing library materials; and the development of an automated system and network. (Contains…

Gender and Higher Education in Different National Spaces: Female Palestinian Students Attending Israeli and Jordanian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abu-Rabia-Queder, Sarab; Arar, Khaled

2011-01-01

This study examines the higher education experience among Palestinian Arab females in two national spaces and seeks to determine whether studying at an Arab institution of higher learning in a nearby Arab country can alleviate the emotional and economic difficulties that affect Palestinian women at Israeli universities. What can institutions of…

Distance and Campus Universities: Tensions and Interactions. A Comparative Study of Five Countries. Issues in Higher Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guri-Rosenblit, Sarah

This book compares the emergence and development of autonomous, fully fledged distance teaching universities in the higher education systems of the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Canada, and Israel. It examines the evolution and functional roles of these universities and outlines their commonalties and divergences. Main lessons are synthesized…

The hypertension of autonomic failure and its treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shannon, J.; Jordan, J.; Costa, F.; Robertson, R. M.; Biaggioni, I.

1997-01-01

We studied the incidence and severity of supine hypertension in 117 patients with severe primary autonomic failure presenting to a referral center over a 9-year period. Patients were uniformly characterized by disabling orthostatic hypotension, lack of compensatory heart rate increase, abnormal autonomic function tests, and unresponsive plasma norepinephrine. Fifty-four patients had isolated autonomic impairment (pure autonomic failure). Sixty-three patients had central nervous system involvement in addition to autonomic impairment (multiple-system atrophy). Patients were studied off medications, in a metabolic ward, and on a controlled diet containing 150 mEq of sodium. Fifty-six percent of patients had supine diastolic blood pressure > or =90 mm Hg. The prevalence of hypertension was slightly greater in females (63%) than in males (52%). Potential mechanisms responsible for this hypertension were investigated. No correlation was found between blood volume and blood pressure. Similarly, plasma norepinephrine (92+/-15 pg/mL) and plasma renin activity (0.3+/-0.05 ng/mL per hour) were very low in the subset of patients with pure autonomic failure and supine hypertension (mean systolic/diastolic pressure, 177 +/- 6/108 +/- 2 mm Hg, range 167/97 to 219/121). Supine hypertension represents a challenge in the treatment of orthostatic hypotension. We found these patients to be particularly responsive to the hypotensive effects of transdermal nitroglycerin. Doses ranging from 0.025 to 0.1 mg/h decreased systolic blood pressure by 36+/-7 mm Hg and may effectively treat supine hypertension overnight, but the dose should be individualized and used with caution.

3 CFR 9023 - Proclamation 9023 of September 20, 2013. National Historically Black Colleges and Universities...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Universities Week, 2013By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Before the Civil War, an... 3 The President 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Proclamation 9023 of September 20, 2013. National... students. But as our Union began to heal from the wounds of war, and the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments...

Losing American Students, Mexican Universities Struggle against a Scary Image

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambrus, Steven

2012-01-01

Like most Mexicans, Eugenio Yarce has been deeply affected by the violence between drug cartels and the Mexican army, which has filled news coverage with accounts of kidnappings, assassinations, and torture. But for Mr. Yarce, deputy rector for outreach here at the private Autonomous Popular University of the State of Puebla, or Upaep, the…

Autonomous interplanetary constellation design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Cornelius Channing, II

According to NASA's integrated space technology roadmaps, space-based infrastructures are envisioned as necessary ingredients to a sustained effort in continuing space exploration. Whether it be for extra-terrestrial habitats, roving/cargo vehicles, or space tourism, autonomous space networks will provide a vital communications lifeline for both future robotic and human missions alike. Projecting that the Moon will be a bustling hub of activity within a few decades, a near-term opportunity for in-situ infrastructure development is within reach. This dissertation addresses the anticipated need for in-space infrastructure by investigating a general design methodology for autonomous interplanetary constellations; to illustrate the theory, this manuscript presents results from an application to the Earth-Moon neighborhood. The constellation design methodology is formulated as an optimization problem, involving a trajectory design step followed by a spacecraft placement sequence. Modeling the dynamics as a restricted 3-body problem, the investigated design space consists of families of periodic orbits which play host to the constellations, punctuated by arrangements of spacecraft autonomously guided by a navigation strategy called LiAISON (Linked Autonomous Interplanetary Satellite Orbit Navigation). Instead of more traditional exhaustive search methods, a numerical continuation approach is implemented to map the admissible configuration space. In particular, Keller's pseudo-arclength technique is used to follow folding/bifurcating solution manifolds, which are otherwise inaccessible with other parameter continuation schemes. A succinct characterization of the underlying structure of the local, as well as global, extrema is thus achievable with little a priori intuition of the solution space. Furthermore, the proposed design methodology offers benefits in computation speed plus the ability to handle mildly stochastic systems. An application of the constellation design

Autonomic Correlates of Speech Versus Nonspeech Tasks in Children and Adults

PubMed Central

Arnold, Hayley S.; MacPherson, Megan K.; Smith, Anne

2015-01-01

Purpose To assess autonomic arousal associated with speech and nonspeech tasks in school-age children and young adults. Method Measures of autonomic arousal (electrodermal level, electrodermal response amplitude, blood pulse volume, and heart rate) were recorded prior to, during, and after the performance of speech and nonspeech tasks by twenty 7- to 9-year-old children and twenty 18- to 22-year-old adults. Results Across age groups, autonomic arousal was higher for speech tasks compared with nonspeech tasks, based on peak electrodermal response amplitude and blood pulse volume. Children demonstrated greater relative arousal, based on heart rate and blood pulse volume, for nonspeech oral motor tasks than adults but showed similar mean arousal levels for speech tasks as adults. Children demonstrated sex differences in autonomic arousal; specifically, autonomic arousal remained high for school-age boys but not girls in a more complex open-ended narrative task that followed a simple sentence production task. Conclusions Speech tasks elicit greater autonomic arousal than nonspeech tasks, and children demonstrate greater autonomic arousal for nonspeech oral motor tasks than adults. Sex differences in autonomic arousal associated with speech tasks in school-age children are discussed relative to speech-language differences between boys and girls. PMID:24686989

Operationalizing universal health coverage in Nigeria through social health insurance

PubMed Central

Okpani, Arnold Ikedichi; Abimbola, Seye

2015-01-01

Nigeria faces challenges that delay progress toward the attainment of the national government's declared goal of universal health coverage (UHC). One such challenge is system-wide inequities resulting from lack of financial protection for the health care needs of the vast majority of Nigerians. Only a small proportion of Nigerians have prepaid health care. In this paper, we draw on existing evidence to suggest steps toward reforming health care financing in Nigeria to achieve UHC through social health insurance. This article sets out to demonstrate that a viable path to UHC through expanding social health insurance exists in Nigeria. We argue that encouraging the states which are semi-autonomous federating units to setup and manage their own insurance schemes presents a unique opportunity for rapidly scaling up prepaid coverage for Nigerians. We show that Nigeria's federal structure which prescribes a sharing of responsibilities for health care among the three tiers of government presents serious challenges for significantly extending social insurance to uncovered groups. We recommend that rather than allowing this governance structure to impair progress toward UHC, it should be leveraged to accelerate the process by supporting the states to establish and manage their own insurance funds while encouraging integration with the National Health Insurance Scheme. PMID:26778879

Systems, methods and apparatus for quiesence of autonomic safety devices with self action

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor); Sterritt, Roy (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments an autonomic environmental safety device may be quiesced. In at least one embodiment, a method for managing an autonomic safety device, such as a smoke detector, based on functioning state and operating status of the autonomic safety device includes processing received signals from the autonomic safety device to obtain an analysis of the condition of the autonomic safety device, generating one or more stay-awake signals based on the functioning status and the operating state of the autonomic safety device, transmitting the stay-awake signal, transmitting self health/urgency data, and transmitting environment health/urgency data. A quiesce component of an autonomic safety device can render the autonomic safety device inactive for a specific amount of time or until a challenging situation has passed.

3 CFR 8404 - Proclamation 8404 of August 30, 2009. National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

.... Established by men and women of great vision, leadership, and clarity of purpose, Historically Black Colleges.... Pivotal in the Civil Rights Movement, HBCUs offer us a window into our Nation's past as well as a path... Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, these colleges and universities are serving hundreds of thousands of...

Policy Analyses on the Effectiveness of the National University Corporation Act: What Has Changed since 2004?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mizuta, Kensuke; Yanagiura, Takeshi

2008-01-01

(Purpose) While numerous data and research indicate that the fiscal practice of institutions has been influenced by National University Corporation Act (NUCA), what exactly the effect NUCA has had on institutions is not known beyond anecdotal experiences and stories. The contribution of this paper is to provide hard evidence on such institutional…

Investigating Learning English Strategies and English Needs of Undergraduate Students at the National University of Laos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Souriyavongsa, Thongma; Abidin, Mohamad Jafre Zainol; Sam, Rany; Mei, Leong Lai; Aloysius, Ithayaraj Britto

2013-01-01

This paper aims to investigate learning English strategies and the requirement of English needs of the undergraduate students at the National University of Laos (NUOL). The study employed a survey design which involved in administering questionnaires of rating scales, and adapting the items from (Barakat, 2010; Chengbin, 2008; Kathleen A, 2010;…

Pelvic autonomic neuromonitoring: present reality, future prospects.

PubMed

Skinner, Stanley A

2014-08-01

Currently, the means to assess the autonomic nervous system primarily depend on end organ functional measurement: intravesical pressure, skin resistance, and penile strain gauge tension, for example. None of these measures has been generally accepted in the operating room. Nevertheless, the segmental and peripheral pelvic autonomic nerve supply is placed at risk during both pelvic and lower spine surgery. In this difficult era of suboptimal post-prostatectomy outcomes, the urological literature does reveal the salutary development of safer dissection techniques about the peri-prostatic and cavernous plexus. Means of reliably specific nerve identification remain elusive. The need for actual nerve monitoring (not just identification) has only recently been proposed. Data from the animal lab reinforce an appreciation of the intimate and elegant interconnectedness of autonomic and somatic structures, particularly at the segmental level. Also, the biochemistry of erectile tissue engorgement (in both sexes) is very well understood (the electrophysiology increasingly so). Understanding these principles should permit parallel investigation and implementation of neurophysiological techniques which both identify and monitor pelvic autonomic function. The predicates for these proposed new approaches in the operating room are discussed in this review.

Cold Regions Issues for Off-Road Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-04-01

the operation of off-road autonomous vehicles . Low-temperature effects on lubricants, materials, and batteries can impair a robot’s ability to operate...demanding that off-road autonomous vehicles must be designed for and tested in cold regions if they are expected to operate there successfully.

Heterogeneous Teams of Autonomous Vehicles: Advanced Sensing & Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

Final Technical 3. DATES COVERED (From To) 7/1/05-12/31708 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Heterogeneous Teams of Autonomous Vehicles Advanced Sensing...assimilating data from underwater and surface autonomous vehicles in addition to the usual sources of Eulerian and Lagrangian systems into a small scale

Advanced avionics concepts: Autonomous spacecraft control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

A large increase in space operations activities is expected because of Space Station Freedom (SSF) and long range Lunar base missions and Mars exploration. Space operations will also increase as a result of space commercialization (especially the increase in satellite networks). It is anticipated that the level of satellite servicing operations will grow tenfold from the current level within the next 20 years. This growth can be sustained only if the cost effectiveness of space operations is improved. Cost effectiveness is operational efficiency with proper effectiveness. A concept is presented of advanced avionics, autonomous spacecraft control, that will enable the desired growth, as well as maintain the cost effectiveness (operational efficiency) in satellite servicing operations. The concept of advanced avionics that allows autonomous spacecraft control is described along with a brief description of each component. Some of the benefits of autonomous operations are also described. A technology utilization breakdown is provided in terms of applications.

Autonomous Satellite Operations Via Secure Virtual Mission Operations Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Eric; Paulsen, Phillip E.; Pasciuto, Michael

2011-01-01

The science community is interested in improving their ability to respond to rapidly evolving, transient phenomena via autonomous rapid reconfiguration, which derives from the ability to assemble separate but collaborating sensors and data forecasting systems to meet a broad range of research and application needs. Current satellite systems typically require human intervention to respond to triggers from dissimilar sensor systems. Additionally, satellite ground services often need to be coordinated days or weeks in advance. Finally, the boundaries between the various sensor systems that make up such a Sensor Web are defined by such things as link delay and connectivity, data and error rate asymmetry, data reliability, quality of service provisions, and trust, complicating autonomous operations. Over the past ten years, researchers from the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), General Dynamics, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), Cisco, Universal Space Networks (USN), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Naval Research Laboratory, the DoD Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office, and others have worked collaboratively to develop a virtual mission operations capability. Called VMOC (Virtual Mission Operations Center), this new capability allows cross-system queuing of dissimilar mission unique systems through the use of a common security scheme and published application programming interfaces (APIs). Collaborative VMOC demonstrations over the last several years have supported the standardization of spacecraft to ground interfaces needed to reduce costs, maximize space effects to the user, and allow the generation of new tactics, techniques and procedures that lead to responsive space employment.

The Scientific Field during Argentina's Latest Military Dictatorship (1976-1983): Contraction of Public Universities and Expansion of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bekerman, Fabiana

2013-01-01

This study looks at some of the traits that characterized Argentina's scientific and university policies under the military regime that spanned from 1976 through 1983. To this end, it delves into a rarely explored empirical observation: financial resource transfers from national universities to the National Scientific and Technological Research…

Planetary surface exploration: MESUR/autonomous lunar rover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stauffer, Larry; Dilorenzo, Matt; Austin, Dave; Ayers, Raymond; Burton, David; Gaylord, Joe; Kennedy, Jim; Lentz, Dale; Laux, Richard; Nance, Preston

1992-06-01

Planetary surface exploration micro-rovers for collecting data about the Moon and Mars was designed by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Idaho. The goal of both projects was to design a rover concept that best satisfied the project objectives for NASA-Ames. A second goal was to facilitate student learning about the process of design. The first micro-rover is a deployment mechanism for the Mars Environmental SURvey (MESUR) Alpha Particle/Proton/X-ray instruments (APX). The system is to be launched with the sixteen MESUR landers around the turn of the century. A Tubular Deployment System and a spiked-legged walker was developed to deploy the APX from the lander to the Martian surface. While on Mars the walker is designed to take the APX to rocks to obtain elemental composition data of the surface. The second micro-rover is an autonomous, roving vehicle to transport a sensor package over the surface of the moon. The vehicle must negotiate the lunar-terrain for a minimum of one year by surviving impacts and withstanding the environmental extremes. The rover is a reliable track-driven unit that operates regardless of orientation which NASA can use for future lunar exploratory missions. A detailed description of the designs, methods, and procedures which the University of Idaho design teams followed to arrive at the final designs are included.

Planetary surface exploration: MESUR/autonomous lunar rover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stauffer, Larry; Dilorenzo, Matt; Austin, Dave; Ayers, Raymond; Burton, David; Gaylord, Joe; Kennedy, Jim; Lentz, Dale; Laux, Richard; Nance, Preston

1992-01-01

Planetary surface exploration micro-rovers for collecting data about the Moon and Mars was designed by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Idaho. The goal of both projects was to design a rover concept that best satisfied the project objectives for NASA-Ames. A second goal was to facilitate student learning about the process of design. The first micro-rover is a deployment mechanism for the Mars Environmental SURvey (MESUR) Alpha Particle/Proton/X-ray instruments (APX). The system is to be launched with the sixteen MESUR landers around the turn of the century. A Tubular Deployment System and a spiked-legged walker was developed to deploy the APX from the lander to the Martian surface. While on Mars the walker is designed to take the APX to rocks to obtain elemental composition data of the surface. The second micro-rover is an autonomous, roving vehicle to transport a sensor package over the surface of the moon. The vehicle must negotiate the lunar-terrain for a minimum of one year by surviving impacts and withstanding the environmental extremes. The rover is a reliable track-driven unit that operates regardless of orientation which NASA can use for future lunar exploratory missions. A detailed description of the designs, methods, and procedures which the University of Idaho design teams followed to arrive at the final designs are included.

Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment and care: assessing the inclusion of human rights in international and national strategic plans

PubMed Central

Gruskin, Sofia; Tarantola, Daniel

2012-01-01

Rhetorical acknowledgment of the value of human rights for the AIDS response continues, yet practical application of human rights principles to national efforts appears to be increasingly deficient. We assess the ways in which international and national strategic plans and other core documents take into account the commitments made by countries to uphold human rights in their efforts towards achieving Universal Access. Key documents from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) were reviewed along with 14 national HIV strategic plans chosen for their illustration of the diversity of HIV epidemic patterns, levels of income and geographical location. Whereas human rights concepts overwhelmingly appeared in both international and national strategic documents, their translation into actionable terms or monitoring frameworks was weak, unspecific or absent. Future work should analyse strategic plans, plans of operation, budgets and actual implementation so that full advantage can be taken, not only of the moral and legal value of human rights, but also their instrumental value for achieving Universal Access. PMID:18641464

Learn about and Visit Historic College and University Campuses Using the National Park Service "Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Series"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shull, Carol D.

2011-01-01

The National Park Service actively educates the public about registered historic places on college and university campuses and encourages people to visit them through its "Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Series." By featuring the historic buildings and grounds of colleges and universities in the itineraries, the National…

Application of parallelized software architecture to an autonomous ground vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakya, Rahul; Wright, Adam; Shin, Young Ho; Momin, Orko; Petkovsek, Steven; Wortman, Paul; Gautam, Prasanna; Norton, Adam

2011-01-01

This paper presents improvements made to Q, an autonomous ground vehicle designed to participate in the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC). For the 2010 IGVC, Q was upgraded with a new parallelized software architecture and a new vision processor. Improvements were made to the power system reducing the number of batteries required for operation from six to one. In previous years, a single state machine was used to execute the bulk of processing activities including sensor interfacing, data processing, path planning, navigation algorithms and motor control. This inefficient approach led to poor software performance and made it difficult to maintain or modify. For IGVC 2010, the team implemented a modular parallel architecture using the National Instruments (NI) LabVIEW programming language. The new architecture divides all the necessary tasks - motor control, navigation, sensor data collection, etc. into well-organized components that execute in parallel, providing considerable flexibility and facilitating efficient use of processing power. Computer vision is used to detect white lines on the ground and determine their location relative to the robot. With the new vision processor and some optimization of the image processing algorithm used last year, two frames can be acquired and processed in 70ms. With all these improvements, Q placed 2nd in the autonomous challenge.

NASA's Swarm Missions: The Challenge of Building Autonomous Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walt; Hinchey, Mike; Rash, James; Rouff, Christopher

2004-01-01

The days of watching a massive manned cylinder thrust spectacularly off a platform into space might rapidly become ancient history when the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) introduces its new millenium mission class. Motivated by the need to gather more data than is possible with a single spacecraft, scientists have developed a new class of missions based on the efficiency and cooperative nature of a hive culture. The missions, aptly dubbed nanoswarm will be little more than mechanized colonies cooperating in their exploration of the solar system. Each swarm mission can have hundreds or even thousands of cooperating intelligent spacecraft that work in teams. The spacecraft must operate independently for long periods both in teams and individually, as well as have autonomic properties - self-healing, -configuring, -optimizing, and -protecting- to survive the harsh space environment. One swarm mission under concept development for 2020 to 2030 is the Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm (ANTS), in which a thousand picospacecraft, each weighing less than three pounds, will work cooperatively to explore the asteroid belt. Some spacecraft will form teams to catalog asteroid properties, such as mass, density, morphology, and chemical composition, using their respective miniature scientific instruments. Others will communicate with the data gatherers and send updates to mission elements on Earth. For software and systems development, this is uncharted territory that calls for revolutionary techniques.

Autonomous Science on the EO-1 Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, S.; Sherwood, R.; Tran, D.; Castano, R.; Cichy, B.; Davies, A.; Rabideau, G.; Tang, N.; Burl, M.; Mandl, D.;

Research on an autonomous vision-guided helicopter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amidi, Omead; Mesaki, Yuji; Kanade, Takeo

1994-01-01

Integration of computer vision with on-board sensors to autonomously fly helicopters was researched. The key components developed were custom designed vision processing hardware and an indoor testbed. The custom designed hardware provided flexible integration of on-board sensors with real-time image processing resulting in a significant improvement in vision-based state estimation. The indoor testbed provided convenient calibrated experimentation in constructing real autonomous systems.

Terminal Homing for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Docking

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

underwater domain, accurate navigation. Above the water, light and electromagnetic signals travel well through air and space, mediums that allow for a...DISTRIBUTION CODE 13. ABSTRACT The use of docking stations for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) provides the ability to keep a vehicle on...Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering iv THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK v ABSTRACT The use of docking stations for autonomous underwater

A Queueing Model for Supervisory Control of Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

Autonomous Vehicles Joseph DiVita, PhD Robert L. Morris Maria Olinda Rodas SSC Pacific Approved...298 (Rev. 8/98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 09–2013 Final A Queueing Model for Supervisory Control of Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles Joseph...Mission Area: Command and Control, Queueing Model; Supervisory Control; Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles M. O. Rodas U U U U 38 (619)

University Program Management Information System: NASA's University Program Active Projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gans, Gary (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

As basic policy, NASA believes that colleges and universities should be encouraged to participate in the nation's space and aeronautics program to the maximum extent practicable. Indeed, universities are considered as partners with government and industry in the nation's aerospace program. NASA's objective is to have them bring their scientific, engineering, and social research competence to bear on aerospace problems and on the broader social, economic, and international implications of NASA's technical and scientific programs. It is expected that, in so doing, universities will strengthen both their research and their educational capabilities to contribute more effectively to the national well being. This annual report is one means of documenting the NASA-university relationship, frequently denoted, collectively, as NASA's University Program. This report is consistent with agency accounting records, as the data is obtained from NASA's Financial and Contractual Status (FACS) System, operated by the Financial Management Division and the Procurement Office. However, in accordance with interagency agreements, the orientation differs from that required for financial or procurement purposes. Any apparent discrepancies between this report and other NASA procurement or financial reports stem from the selection criteria for the data. This report was prepared by the Office of Education/N.

Cardiac Autonomic Control in Individuals With Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goulopoulou, Styliani; Baynard, Tracy; Collier, Scott; Giannopoulou, Ifigenia; Figueroa, Arturo; Beets, Michael; Pitetti, Kenneth; Fernhall, Bo

2006-01-01

Our goal in this study was to compare cardiac autonomic control at rest between 50 individuals with Down syndrome and 24 control participants without disabilities. Resting autonomic function was assessed using analysis of heart rate variability. Participants with Down syndrome had reduced total heart rate variability, which indicates possible…

Wireless IR Image Transfer System for Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-12-01

the camera can operate between 0 and 500 C; this uniquely suites it for employment on autonomous vehicles in rugged environments. The camera is...system is suitable for used on autonomous vehicles under varying antenna orientations. • The third is the use of MDS transceivers allows the received

Tele-assistance for semi-autonomous robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Erika; Murphy, Robin R.

1994-01-01

This paper describes a new approach in semi-autonomous mobile robots. In this approach the robot has sufficient computerized intelligence to function autonomously under a certain set of conditions, while the local system is a cooperative decision making unit that combines human and machine intelligence. Communication is then allowed to take place in a common mode and in a common language. A number of exception-handling scenarios that were constructed as a result of experiments with actual sensor data collected from two mobile robots were presented.

Autonomic consequences of arousal from sleep: mechanisms and implications.

PubMed

Horner, R L

1996-12-01

Normal spontaneous arousals from sleep are associated with transient increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and ventilation caused by large transient changes in autonomic output. These autonomic changes are out of proportion to obvious physiological need and are in excess of those observed in later periods of quiet wakefulness. This paper discusses some of the mechanisms underlying the cardio-respiratory consequences of arousal from sleep, and discusses why the normal onset of wakefulness may be associated with such large changes in autonomic output.

The American University: National Treasure or Endangered Species?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehrenberg, Ronald G. Ed.

This book of nine essays was written to honor Frank H. T. Rhodes, President Emeritus of Cornell University (New York) and addresses ways in which research universities can respond to current challenges. An introductory chapter, "The American University: Dilemmas and Directions" (Ronald G. Ehrenberg), identifies key issues raised in the following…

Challenges in verification and validation of autonomous systems for space exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brat, Guillaume; Jonsson, Ari

2005-01-01

Space exploration applications offer a unique opportunity for the development and deployment of autonomous systems, due to limited communications, large distances, and great expense of direct operation. At the same time, the risk and cost of space missions leads to reluctance to taking on new, complex and difficult-to-understand technology. A key issue in addressing these concerns is the validation of autonomous systems. In recent years, higher-level autonomous systems have been applied in space applications. In this presentation, we will highlight those autonomous systems, and discuss issues in validating these systems. We will then look to future demands on validating autonomous systems for space, identify promising technologies and open issues.

Assessing Learners' Satisfication towards Support Services Delivery in National Open University Nigeria: Implications for Counselling Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okopi, Fidel; Ofole, Ndidi

2013-01-01

This study aims at determining the level of students' satisfaction of learner support services in the study centres of NOUN--National Open University of Nigeria and whether the support services offered at the study centres have significant influence on the level of students' satisfaction. A descriptive survey of ex-post facto research design was…

Physiology Teaching and Learning Experience in a New Modular Curriculum at the National University of Rwanda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gahutu, Jean Bosco

2010-01-01

In the present article, I report on my experience in teaching and learning physiology in the first year of a new modular curriculum at the Faculty of Medicine of the National University of Rwanda. With self-reported questionnaires, I collected learning experience perceptions from 112 students who attended the module of physiology in 2008. The…

Sex differences in autonomic function following maximal exercise.

PubMed

Kappus, Rebecca M; Ranadive, Sushant M; Yan, Huimin; Lane-Cordova, Abbi D; Cook, Marc D; Sun, Peng; Harvey, I Shevon; Wilund, Kenneth R; Woods, Jeffrey A; Fernhall, Bo

2015-01-01

Heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure variability, (BPV) and heart rate recovery (HRR) are measures that provide insight regarding autonomic function. Maximal exercise can affect autonomic function, and it is unknown if there are sex differences in autonomic recovery following exercise. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine sex differences in several measures of autonomic function and the response following maximal exercise. Seventy-one (31 males and 40 females) healthy, nonsmoking, sedentary normotensive subjects between the ages of 18 and 35 underwent measurements of HRV and BPV at rest and following a maximal exercise bout. HRR was measured at minute one and two following maximal exercise. Males have significantly greater HRR following maximal exercise at both minute one and two; however, the significance between sexes was eliminated when controlling for VO2 peak. Males had significantly higher resting BPV-low-frequency (LF) values compared to females and did not significantly change following exercise, whereas females had significantly increased BPV-LF values following acute maximal exercise. Although males and females exhibited a significant decrease in both HRV-LF and HRV-high frequency (HF) with exercise, females had significantly higher HRV-HF values following exercise. Males had a significantly higher HRV-LF/HF ratio at rest; however, both males and females significantly increased their HRV-LF/HF ratio following exercise. Pre-menopausal females exhibit a cardioprotective autonomic profile compared to age-matched males due to lower resting sympathetic activity and faster vagal reactivation following maximal exercise. Acute maximal exercise is a sufficient autonomic stressor to demonstrate sex differences in the critical post-exercise recovery period.

University Research: Understanding Its Role

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of American Universities, 2011

2011-01-01

Since World War II, the federal government has maintained a partnership with the nation's research universities, based on the bipartisan consensus that (1) the nation needs to invest its resources in curiosity-driven, competitively awarded basic research, and (2) basic research is best conducted at the nation's universities. As a result of that…

[The strategic purchasing of health services: a big opportunity for the National Universal Health System].

PubMed

González-Block, Miguel Ángel; Alarcón Irigoyen, José; Figueroa Lara, Alejandro; Ibarra Espinosa, Ignacio; Cortés Llamas, Noemí

2015-01-01

proposed to establish a service packages, whether through a single obligatory list or through the definition of a flexible, high priority set to be offered to specific populations according to their economic possibilities. For the strategic purchasing of services, two alternatives are proposed: to assign the fund either to a single national manager or to each of the existing public provider institutions, with the expectation that they would contract across each other and with private providers to fulfill their complementary needs.The proposal does not consider the risks and alternatives to a single tax contribution fund, which could have been suggested given that it is not an essential part of a National Universal Health System. However, it is necessary to discuss in more detail the roles and strategies for a national single-payer, especially for the strategic purchasing of high-cost and specialized interventions in the context of public and private providers. The alternative of allocating funds directly to providers would undermine the incentives for competition and collaboration and the capacity to steer providers towards the provision of high quality health services.It is proposed to focus the discussion of the reform of the national health system around strategic purchasing and the functions and structure of a single-payer as well as of agencies to articulate integrated health service networks as tools to promote quality and efficiency of the National Universal Health System. The inclusion of economic incentives to providers will be vital for competition, but also for the cooperation of providers within integrated, multi-institutional health service networks.Health professionals and sector policy specialists coordinated by the Centro de Estudios Espinosa Yglesi as in Mexico propose a policy to anchor the health system in primary care centered on the individual. The vision includes effective stewardship,solid financing, and the provision of services by a

Control of autonomous robot using neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barton, Adam; Volna, Eva

2017-07-01

The aim of the article is to design a method of control of an autonomous robot using artificial neural networks. The introductory part describes control issues from the perspective of autonomous robot navigation and the current mobile robots controlled by neural networks. The core of the article is the design of the controlling neural network, and generation and filtration of the training set using ART1 (Adaptive Resonance Theory). The outcome of the practical part is an assembled Lego Mindstorms EV3 robot solving the problem of avoiding obstacles in space. To verify models of an autonomous robot behavior, a set of experiments was created as well as evaluation criteria. The speed of each motor was adjusted by the controlling neural network with respect to the situation in which the robot was found.

Theoretical Communities of Praxis: The University Writing Center as Cultural Contact Zone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monty, Randall William

2013-01-01

The fundamental purpose of "Theoretical Communities of Praxis: The University Writing Center as Cultural Contact Zone" is to investigate the situatedness of Writing Center Studies, defining it as an autonomous (sub)discipline and interdisciplinary contact zone within the larger discipline of Rhetoric and Composition. In order to meet…

Japanese Approaches to Organizational Internationalization of Universities: A Case Study of Three National University Corporations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watabe, Yuki

2010-01-01

This study aims to develop an understanding of the internationalization processes at universities in Japan by exploring a strategic model in internationally oriented universities. Universities in Japan have experienced university reform since the 1990s. The role and system of Japanese universities have been re-examined due to an emerging global…

Sandia National Laboratories proof-of-concept robotic security vehicle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harrington, J.J.; Jones, D.P.; Klarer, P.R.

1989-01-01

Several years ago Sandia National Laboratories developed a prototype interior robot that could navigate autonomously inside a large complex building to air and test interior intrusion detection systems. Recently the Department of Energy Office of Safeguards and Security has supported the development of a vehicle that will perform limited security functions autonomously in a structured exterior environment. The goal of the first phase of this project was to demonstrate the feasibility of an exterior robotic vehicle for security applications by using converted interior robot technology, if applicable. An existing teleoperational test bed vehicle with remote driving controls was modified andmore » integrated with a newly developed command driving station and navigation system hardware and software to form the Robotic Security Vehicle (RSV) system. The RSV, also called the Sandia Mobile Autonomous Navigator (SANDMAN), has been successfully used to demonstrate that teleoperated security vehicles which can perform limited autonomous functions are viable and have the potential to decrease security manpower requirements and improve system capabilities. 2 refs., 3 figs.« less

An Efficient Model-Based Image Understanding Method for an Autonomous Vehicle.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-09-01

The problem discussed in this dissertation is the development of an efficient method for visual navigation of autonomous vehicles . The approach is to... autonomous vehicles . Thus the new method is implemented as a component of the image-understanding system in the autonomous mobile robot Yamabico-11 at

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cardiac Autonomic Function in Diabetes.

PubMed

Röhling, Martin; Strom, Alexander; Bönhof, Gidon J; Roden, Michael; Ziegler, Dan

2017-10-23

This review summarizes the current knowledge on the relationship of physical activity, exercise, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) based on epidemiological, clinical, and interventional studies. The prevalence of CAN increases with age and duration of diabetes. Further risk factors for CAN comprise poor glycemic control, dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity, hypertension, and the presence of diabetic complications. CAN has been also linked to reduced CRF. We recently showed that CRF parameters (e.g., maximal oxidative capacity or oxidative capacity at the anaerobic threshold) are associated with cardiac autonomic function in patients recently diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Exercise interventions have shown that physical activity can increase cardiovagal activity and reduce sympathetic overactivity. In particular, long-term and regularly, but also supervised, performed endurance and high-intense and high-volume exercise improves cardiac autonomic function in patients with type 2 diabetes. By contrast, the evidence in those with type 1 diabetes and also in individuals with prediabetes or metabolic syndrome is weaker. Overall, the studies reviewed herein addressing the question whether favorably modulating the autonomic nervous system may improve CRF during exercise programs support the therapeutic concept to promote physical activity and to achieve physical fitness. However, high-quality exercise interventions, especially in type 1 diabetes and metabolic syndrome including prediabetes, are further required to better understand the relationship between physical activity, fitness, and cardiac autonomic function.

[Features of autonomic dysfunction in myofascial pain syndromes cervicobrachial localization].

PubMed

Морозова, О Г; Ярошевский, А А; Липинская, Я В

2015-01-01

The relevance of this study is due to the prevalence of autonomic disorders and musculoskeletal pain, especially among the young people of working age. In recent years, many authors in scientific works have been highlighted aspects of mutual development myofascial and autonomic dysfunction, which is caused by neurophysiological preconditions and anatomical and topographical relationships that need to be considered in the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. To study the characteristics of the formation and flow of autonomic dysfunction syndrome with paroxysmal and permanent types of flow in patients with myofascial pain syndromes cervicobrachial localization. Using clinical neurological, vertebral neurological, neuropsychological methods of studying the severity of pain (visual analogue scale and Pain questionnaire of Mac Gill) examined 84 patients suffering from autonomic dysfunction on the background of myofascial pain syndromes cervicobrachial localization. To identify the features of vegetative regulation of patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (51 people) - with a permanent type of course; group 2 (33 patients) - a type of paroxysmal of course of autonomic dysfunction. It was found more pronounced disturbances in patients with paroxysmal type of course of autonomic dysfunction. The frequency and severity of autonomic paroxysms associated with the severity of musculo-tonic syndrome and location of active trigger points in the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle, due to anatomic and topographic features of these muscles, namely the proximity of their location to the sympathetic formations neck. The formation and development of emotional and affective disorders in both groups played a significant role of pain and musculo-tonic syndrome. The syndrome of autonomic dysfunction, in particular its paroxysmal type of flow, on the one hand is a response to the development of myofascial pain syndromes cervicobrachial localization, with another - a factor

GOATS 2008: Autonomous, Adaptive Multistatic Acoustic Sensing

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-30

carried out jointly with the NATO Undersea Research Centre in the Tuscan archipelago July 26 – August 16, 2010. MIT operated the Unicorn AUV and...4 trail behavior with the physical Unicorn AUV, and is accidentally passing close the R/V Leonardo, fully autonomously changing its depth from...vehicles. The AUV Unicorn is performing an adaptive thermocline mapping mission, with the vehicle trail shown in green. Note the autonomous collision

Testing the Intelligence of Unmanned Autonomous Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

decisions without the operator. The term autonomous is also used interchangeably with intelligent, giving rise to the name unmanned autonomous system ( UAS ...For the purposes of this article, UAS describes an unmanned system that makes decisions based on gathered information. Because testers should not...make assumptions about the decision process within a UAS , there is a need for a methodology that completely tests this decision process without biasing

A Legacy of Sacrifice and Honor: Celebrating Tribal Resilience and Military Service at Haskell Nations University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warrington, Jacinta

2017-01-01

Haskell Indian Nations University opened 133 years ago, on September 17, 1884, as the U.S. Training and Industrial School--one of three original tribal boarding schools funded by the United States Congress. Three years later the school changed its name to Haskell Institute in honor of Chase Dudley Haskell, a U.S. representative from the Second…

Autonomous operations through onboard artificial intelligence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherwood, R. L.; Chien, S.; Castano, R.; Rabideau, G.

2002-01-01

The Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment (ASE) will fly onboard the Air Force TechSat 21 constellation of three spacecraft scheduled for launch in 2006. ASE uses onboard continuous planning, robust task and goal-based execution, model-based mode identification and reconfiguration, and onboard machine learning and pattern recognition to radically increase science return by enabling intelligent downlink selection and autonomous retargeting. Demonstration of these capabilities in a flight environment will open up tremendous new opportunities in planetary science, space physics, and earth science that would be unreachable without this technology.

Pupillary autonomic denervation with increasing duration of diabetes mellitus

PubMed Central

Cahill, M.; Eustace, P.; de Jesus, V.

2001-01-01

BACKGROUND/AIMS—The autonomic pupillary changes in type I and II diabetic patients without clinical evidence of diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) were compared with age matched controls. The relation between pupillary and cardiovascular autonomic function was assessed in the diabetic patients.
METHODS—A case-control study was performed with diabetics grouped according to type and duration of diabetes. Static infrared pupillography was used to compare mean dark adapted pupil size and mean percentage changes in pupil size with pilocarpine 0.1% and cocaine 4% in the diabetic and control groups. All diabetic patients underwent cardiovascular autonomic function assessment using the Valsalva ratio, the 30:15 ratio, and testing for orthostatic hypotension.
RESULTS—In total, 72 type I and 69 type II diabetic patients were compared with 120 controls. Mean dark adapted pupil size was significantly smaller in diabetic groups than controls. Except for type I diabetics with disease for less than 5 years, all patient groups had significantly greater mean percentage constriction in pupil size in response to dilute pilocarpine than controls. There was no significant difference between the mean percentage dilatation in response to cocaine 4% in diabetics and controls. A high proportion of patients had normal cardiovascular autonomic function particularly when this was assessed with the Valsalva ratio.
CONCLUSIONS—Denervation hypersensitivity to dilute pilocarpine is a result of damage to the pupillary parasympathetic supply of diabetic patients. This occurs before the pupillary sympathetic pathway is affected, it can be detected early in the disease, and it may be a possible explanation for the small pupil size seen in diabetic patients. Pupillary autonomic dysfunction occurs before cardiovascular autonomic changes and detection of pupil denervation hypersensitivity to dilute pilocarpine is an inexpensive way to detect early DAN.

 PMID:11567969

Genetics Home Reference: hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type V

MedlinePlus

... links) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Peripheral Neuropathy National Institutes of Health Rare Diseases Clinical Research ... neuropathy type 5 University of Chicago Center for Peripheral Neuropathy Patient Support and Advocacy Resources (1 link) The ...

Organizing the "Productive Transformation of Knowledge": Linking University and Industry in Traditional Manufacturing Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balduzzi, Giacomo; Rostan, Michele

2016-01-01

The article aims at underlining the role played by extra-academic and autonomous organizations strongly connected with university institutions and researchers in producing, acquiring, transferring and transforming knowledge. The study examines a particular Italian case, the "Politecnico Calzaturiero", a private institution providing…

An Algorithm for Autonomous Formation Obstacle Avoidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz, Yunior I.

The level of human interaction with Unmanned Aerial Systems varies greatly from remotely piloted aircraft to fully autonomous systems. In the latter end of the spectrum, the challenge lies in designing effective algorithms to dictate the behavior of the autonomous agents. A swarm of autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles requires collision avoidance and formation flight algorithms to negotiate environmental challenges it may encounter during the execution of its mission, which may include obstacles and chokepoints. In this work, a simple algorithm is developed to allow a formation of autonomous vehicles to perform point to point navigation while avoiding obstacles and navigating through chokepoints. Emphasis is placed on maintaining formation structures. Rather than breaking formation and individually navigating around the obstacle or through the chokepoint, vehicles are required to assemble into appropriately sized/shaped sub-formations, bifurcate around the obstacle or negotiate the chokepoint, and reassemble into the original formation at the far side of the obstruction. The algorithm receives vehicle and environmental properties as inputs and outputs trajectories for each vehicle from start to the desired ending location. Simulation results show that the algorithm safely routes all vehicles past the obstruction while adhering to the aforementioned requirements. The formation adapts and successfully negotiates the obstacles and chokepoints in its path while maintaining proper vehicle separation.

Bringing babies and breasts into workplaces: Support for breastfeeding mothers in workplaces and childcare services at the Australian National University.

PubMed

Smith, Julie; Javanparast, Sara; Craig, Lyn

2017-03-01

In 1999, two leading Australian academics challenged Australian universities to lead moves to better manage employees' maternity and breastfeeding needs, and 'bring babies and breasts into workplaces'. This paper addresses the question of how universities cope with the need for women to breastfeed, by exploring barriers facing women who combine breastfeeding and paid work at the Australian National University (ANU). Data were collected through online surveys in 2013 using mixed method, case study design, nested within a larger national study. Participants were 64 working mothers of children aged 0-2 years from the ANU community of employees and users of on-campus child care. Responses highlighted the ad hoc nature of support for breastfeeding at ANU. Lack of organisational support for breastfeeding resulted in adverse consequences for some ANU staff. These included high work-related stresses and premature cessation of breastfeeding among women who had intended to breastfeed their infants in line with health recommendations.

Recursive Gradient Estimation Using Splines for Navigation of Autonomous Vehicles.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-01

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES C. N. SHEN DTIC " JULY 1985 SEP 1 219 85 V US ARMY ARMAMENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER LARGE CALIBER WEAPON SYSTEMS LABORATORY I...GRADIENT ESTIMATION USING SPLINES FOR NAVIGATION OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES Final S. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTHOR(q) 8. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBER...which require autonomous vehicles . Essential to these robotic vehicles is an adequate and efficient computer vision system. A potentially more

Feasibility of Turing-Style Tests for Autonomous Aerial Vehicle "Intelligence"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Larry A.

2007-01-01

A new approach is suggested to define and evaluate key metrics as to autonomous aerial vehicle performance. This approach entails the conceptual definition of a "Turing Test" for UAVs. Such a "UAV Turing test" would be conducted by means of mission simulations and/or tailored flight demonstrations of vehicles under the guidance of their autonomous system software. These autonomous vehicle mission simulations and flight demonstrations would also have to be benchmarked against missions "flown" with pilots/human-operators in the loop. In turn, scoring criteria for such testing could be based upon both quantitative mission success metrics (unique to each mission) and by turning to analog "handling quality" metrics similar to the well-known Cooper-Harper pilot ratings used for manned aircraft. Autonomous aerial vehicles would be considered to have successfully passed this "UAV Turing Test" if the aggregate mission success metrics and handling qualities for the autonomous aerial vehicle matched or exceeded the equivalent metrics for missions conducted with pilots/human-operators in the loop. Alternatively, an independent, knowledgeable observer could provide the "UAV Turing Test" ratings of whether a vehicle is autonomous or "piloted." This observer ideally would, in the more sophisticated mission simulations, also have the enhanced capability of being able to override the scripted mission scenario and instigate failure modes and change of flight profile/plans. If a majority of mission tasks are rated as "piloted" by the observer, when in reality the vehicle/simulation is fully- or semi- autonomously controlled, then the vehicle/simulation "passes" the "UAV Turing Test." In this regards, this second "UAV Turing Test" approach is more consistent with Turing s original "imitation game" proposal. The overall feasibility, and important considerations and limitations, of such an approach for judging/evaluating autonomous aerial vehicle "intelligence" will be discussed from a

Effects of Music Therapy on the Cardiovascular and Autonomic Nervous System in Stress-Induced University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Lee, Kyoung Soon; Jeong, Hyeon Cheol; Yim, Jong Eun; Jeon, Mi Yang

2016-01-01

Stress is caused when a particular relationship between the individual and the environment emerges. Specifically, stress occurs when an individual's abilities are challenged or when one's well-being is threatened by excessive environmental demands. The aim of this study was to measure the effects of music therapy on stress in university students. Randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four students were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 33) or the control group (n = 31). Music therapy. Initial measurement included cardiovascular indicators (blood pressure and pulse), autonomic nervous activity (standard deviation of the normal-to-normal intervals [SDNN], normalized low frequency, normalized high frequency, low/high frequency), and subjective stress. After the first measurement, participants in both groups were exposed to a series of stressful tasks, and then a second measurement was conducted. The experimental group then listened to music for 20 minutes and the control group rested for 20 minutes. A third and final measurement was then taken. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the first or second measurement. However, after music therapy, the experimental group and the control group showed significant differences in all variables, including systolic blood pressure (p = .026), diastolic blood pressure (p = .037), pulse (p < .001), SDNN (p = .003), normalized low frequency (p < .001), normalized high frequency (p = .010), and subjective stress (p = .026). Classical music tends to relax the body and may stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. These results suggest music therapy as an intervention for stress reduction.

Teaching Humanities at the National University of la Plata, Argentina.

PubMed

Acuña, Leopoldo E

2003-10-01

In this article the author begins by giving a brief history of medical education in Argentina, then provides some background information on the National University of La Plata. He describes two major initiatives at La Plata: a new and pioneering admission policy (implemented in 1993) and a change in the number of hours and years in the curriculum. He then looks back to the introduction in 1976 of La Plata's medical humanities program. Over its 20 year existence, the program has undergone a number of changes in response both to students' interests and financial concerns. The revised humanities curriculum now consists of four elective courses: medicine and literature, anthropology, history of medicine, and "medical kalology" (which focuses on music and dance). Unfortunately, the program, while it has been well received by both students and faculty and has inspired programs at other Argentinean schools, is threatened by Argentina's economic crisis.

Photonic Microhand with Autonomous Action.

PubMed

Martella, Daniele; Nocentini, Sara; Nuzhdin, Dmitry; Parmeggiani, Camilla; Wiersma, Diederik S

2017-11-01

Grabbing and holding objects at the microscale is a complex function, even for microscopic living animals. Inspired by the hominid-type hand, a microscopic equivalent able to catch microelements is engineered. This microhand is light sensitive and can be either remotely controlled by optical illumination or can act autonomously and grab small particles on the basis of their optical properties. Since the energy is delivered optically, without the need for wires or batteries, the artificial hand can be shrunk down to the micrometer scale. Soft material is used, in particular, a custom-made liquid-crystal network that is patterned by a photolithographic technique. The elastic reshaping properties of this material allow finger movement, using environmental light as the only energy source. The hand can be either controlled externally (via the light field), or else the conditions in which it autonomously grabs a particle in its vicinity can be created. This microrobot has the unique feature that it can distinguish between particles of different colors and gray levels. The realization of this autonomous hand constitutes a crucial element in the development of microscopic creatures that can perform tasks without human intervention and self-organized automation at the micrometer scale. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Semi autonomous mine detection system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Douglas Few; Roelof Versteeg; Herman Herman

2010-04-01

CMMAD is a risk reduction effort for the AMDS program. As part of CMMAD, multiple instances of semi autonomous robotic mine detection systems were created. Each instance consists of a robotic vehicle equipped with sensors required for navigation and marking, a countermine sensors and a number of integrated software packages which provide for real time processing of the countermine sensor data as well as integrated control of the robotic vehicle, the sensor actuator and the sensor. These systems were used to investigate critical interest functions (CIF) related to countermine robotic systems. To address the autonomy CIF, the INL developed RIKmore » was extended to allow for interaction with a mine sensor processing code (MSPC). In limited field testing this system performed well in detecting, marking and avoiding both AT and AP mines. Based on the results of the CMMAD investigation we conclude that autonomous robotic mine detection is feasible. In addition, CMMAD contributed critical technical advances with regard to sensing, data processing and sensor manipulation, which will advance the performance of future fieldable systems. As a result, no substantial technical barriers exist which preclude – from an autonomous robotic perspective – the rapid development and deployment of fieldable systems.« less

Research on support effectiveness modeling and simulating of aviation materiel autonomic logistics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yan; Zhou, Yang; Yuan, Kai; Jia, Zhiyu; Li, Shuo

2018-05-01

Aiming at the demonstration of autonomic logistics system to be used at the new generation of aviation materiel in our country, the modeling and simulating method of aviation materiel support effectiveness considering autonomic logistics are studied. Firstly, this paper introduced the idea of JSF autonomic logistics and analyzed the influence of autonomic logistics on support effectiveness from aspects of reliability, false alarm rate, troubleshooting time, and support delay time and maintenance level. On this basis, the paper studies the modeling and simulating methods of support effectiveness considering autonomic logistics, and puts forward the maintenance support simulation process considering autonomic logistics. Finally, taking the typical aviation materiel as an example, this paper analyzes and verifies the above-mentioned support effectiveness modeling and simulating method of aviation materiel considering autonomic logistics.

Evidencing the Passion of Language Teachers' Research Engagement: The Case of a University Pedagogy ALMS Course Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaattovaara, Johanna

2017-01-01

This paper presents a case example of a University Pedagogy course module carried out in ALMS (Autonomous Learning Modules) format. The participants of the course were mainly in-service language teachers of the University of Helsinki Language Centre, and the author of this report is a module instructor and counsellor. The motivation for the ALMS…

Amplifying human ability through autonomics and machine learning in IMPACT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzieciuch, Iryna; Reeder, John; Gutzwiller, Robert; Gustafson, Eric; Coronado, Braulio; Martinez, Luis; Croft, Bryan; Lange, Douglas S.

2017-05-01

Amplifying human ability for controlling complex environments featuring autonomous units can be aided by learned models of human and system performance. In developing a command and control system that allows a small number of people to control a large number of autonomous teams, we employ an autonomics framework to manage the networks that represent mission plans and the networks that are composed of human controllers and their autonomous assistants. Machine learning allows us to build models of human and system performance useful for monitoring plans and managing human attention and task loads. Machine learning also aids in the development of tactics that human supervisors can successfully monitor through the command and control system.

Perception of Learners on Electronic Examination in Open and Distance Learning Institutions: A Case Study of National Open University of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adewale, Olubiyi Adeniyi; Ajadi, Timothy Olugbenga; Inegbedion, Juliet O.

2011-01-01

In mid-2009, the NOUN (National Open University of Nigeria) reached the decision to shift from conventional (that is, pen-and-paper) examination to electronic examination in the conduct of the end of semester examinations. One of the major factors prompting this decision is the inability of the university to release the results of past…

Incorporating Manual and Autonomous Code Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McComas, David