Is More Information Better? How Dismounted Soldiers Use Video Feed From Unmanned Vehicles

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronny Ophir-Arbelle ◽  
Tal Oron-Gilad ◽  
Avinoam Borowsky ◽  
Yisrael Parmet
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Unmanned Vehicles ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Ground Vehicles ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Mental Demand ◽  
Video Feed ◽  
Additional Support

Operational tactics in urban areas are often aided by information from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A major challenge for dismounted soldiers, particularly in urban environments, is to understand the conflict area in general and particularly from the UAV feed. The UAV feed is usually used to enhance soldiers’ situation awareness abilities but less for identifying specific elements. A possible way to further enhance soldiers’ abilities is to provide them with multiple sources of information (e.g., aerial and ground views). This study examined the benefits of presenting video feed from UAVs and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in a combined interface, relative to presenting aerial feed alone. Thirty former infantry soldiers with no experience in operating unmanned vehicles participated. Objective performance, subjective evaluations, and eye-tracking patterns were examined in two scenarios. In Scenario 1, performance scores in both identification and orientation tasks were superior in the combined configuration. In Scenario 2, performance scores in the identification tasks were improved, and the addition of the UGV feed did not harm performance in the orientation task. Eye movement scanning patterns reinforced that both UAV and UGV feeds were used for the mission. The combined configuration generated consistent benefits with regard to the identification tasks, perceived mental demand, and reduction of false reports without having any apparent cost on participants. Ground views may provide additional support to dismounted soldiers.

scholarly journals Connected Cooperative Control of Autonomous Vehicles During Unexpected Road Situations

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (12) ◽  
pp. S3-S7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Andersen ◽  
Xiaotong Shen ◽  
You Hong Eng ◽  
Daniela Rus ◽  
Marcelo H. Ang
Keyword(s):  
State Estimation ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Cooperative Control ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Ieee 802.11P ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Vehicular Communication ◽  
Multiple Sources

This article discusses how connected cooperative control of autonomous vehicles (AVs) can help in providing safe and comfortable mobility during unexpected road situations. Driving AVs in urban areas poses a big challenge due to the complexity of the traffic rules as well as unexpected scenarios involved. In these situations, an inter-vehicle communication system can be of great help. Cooperation between multiple AVs is possible with the development of vehicular communication. In particular, state estimation can be improved with multiple sources of information gathered from different vehicles. Cooperative state estimation can also improve robustness against communication failure. With future trajectories shared among nearby vehicles, the motion can be coordinated to make navigation safer and smoother for AVs. For vehicular communication, the IEEE 802.11p standard has been designed to allow information exchange between high-speed cars, and between vehicles and roadside infrastructure. Other wireless communication technologies, such as 3G, 4G, and WiFi, are also suggested.

scholarly journals Immersive telepresence on the operation of unmanned vehicles

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 172988142097854
Author(s):  
Eduardo Jose Fabris ◽  
Vicenzo Abichequer Sangalli ◽  
Leonardo Pavanatto Soares ◽  
Márcio Sarroglia Pinho
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
User Study ◽  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Mixed Reality ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Vehicle Control ◽  
Unmanned Vehicles ◽  
Ground Vehicles ◽  
Network Transmission ◽  
Near Future

Unmanned ground vehicles are usually deployed in situations, where it is too dangerous or not feasible to have an operator onboard. One challenge faced when such vehicles are teleoperated is maintaining a high situational awareness, due to aspects such as limitation of cameras, characteristics of network transmission, and the lack of other sensory information, such as sounds and vibrations. Situation awareness refers to the understanding of the information, events, and actions that will impact the execution and the objectives of the tasks at the current and near future of the operation of the vehicle. This work investigates how the simultaneous use of immersive telepresence and mixed reality could impact the situation awareness of the operator and the navigation performance. A user study was performed to compare our proposed approach with a traditional unmanned vehicle control station. Quantitative data obtained from the vehicle’s behavior and the situation awareness global assessment technique were used to analyze such impacts. Results provide evidence that our approach is relevant when the task requires a detailed observation of the surroundings, leading to higher situation awareness and navigation performance.

Diversity of organisms

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip James
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Native Species ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
The Common ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Micro Organisms ◽  
Diversity Of Life

The focus of this chapter is an examination of the diversity of living organisms found within urban environments, both inside and outside buildings. The discussion commences with prions and viruses before moving on to consider micro-organisms, plants, and animals. Prions and viruses cause disease in plants and animals, including humans. Micro-organisms are ubiquitous and are found in great numbers throughout urban environments. New technologies are providing new insights into their diversity. Plants may be found inside buildings as well as in gardens and other green spaces. The final sections of the chapter offer a discussion of the diversity of animals that live in urban areas for part or all of their life cycle. Examples of the diversity of life in urban environments are presented throughout, including native and non-native species, those that are benign and deadly, and the common and the rare.

Supporting the Development of Clinical Reasoning of Preprofessional Novices in Dysphagia Management

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (03) ◽  
pp. 151-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Doeltgen ◽  
Stacie Attrill ◽  
Joanne Murray
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Reasoning ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Implicit Processing ◽  
Reasoning Skills

AbstractProficient clinical reasoning is a critical skill in high-quality, evidence-based management of swallowing impairment (dysphagia). Clinical reasoning in this area of practice is a cognitively complex process, as it requires synthesis of multiple sources of information that are generated during a thorough, evidence-based assessment process and which are moderated by the patient's individual situations, including their social and demographic circumstances, comorbidities, or other health concerns. A growing body of health and medical literature demonstrates that clinical reasoning skills develop with increasing exposure to clinical cases and that the approaches to clinical reasoning differ between novices and experts. It appears that it is not the amount of knowledge held, but the way it is used, that distinguishes a novice from an experienced clinician. In this article, we review the roles of explicit and implicit processing as well as illness scripts in clinical decision making across the continuum of medical expertise and discuss how they relate to the clinical management of swallowing impairment. We also reflect on how this literature may inform educational curricula that support SLP students in developing preclinical reasoning skills that facilitate their transition to early clinical practice. Specifically, we discuss the role of case-based curricula to assist students to develop a meta-cognitive awareness of the different approaches to clinical reasoning, their own capabilities and preferences, and how and when to apply these in dysphagia management practice.

scholarly journals The Influence of Friends on Teen Vaping: A Mixed-Methods Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6784
Author(s):  
Allison L. Groom ◽  
Thanh-Huyen T. Vu ◽  
Robyn L. Landry ◽  
Anshula Kesh ◽  
Joy L. Hart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Peer Influence ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Sources Of Information

Vaping is popular among adolescents. Previous research has explored sources of information and influence on youth vaping, including marketing, ads, family, peers, social media, and the internet. This research endeavors to expand understanding of peer influence. Our hypothesis is that friends’ influence on teen vapers’ first electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use varies by demographic variables and awareness of ENDS advertising. In August–October 2017, youth (n = 3174) aged 13–18 completed an online survey to quantify ENDS behaviors and attitudes and were invited to participate in follow-up online research in November-December 2017 to probe qualitative context around perceptions and motivations (n = 76). This analysis focused on the ENDS users, defined as having ever tried any ENDS product, from the survey (n = 1549) and the follow-up research (n = 39). Among survey respondents, friends were the most common source of vapers’ first ENDS product (60%). Most survey respondents tried their first ENDS product while “hanging out with friends” (54%). Among follow-up research participants, the theme of socializing was also prominent. ENDS advertising and marketing through social media had a strong association with friend networks; in fact, the odds of friends as source of the first vaping experience were 2 times higher for those who had seen ENDS ads on social media compared with other types of media. The influence of friends is particularly evident among non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics/Latinos, those living in urban areas, those living in high-income households, those with higher self-esteem, and those who experiment with vaping. These findings support the premise that peer influence is a primary social influencer and reinforcer for vaping. Being included in a popular activity appears to be a strong driving force.

scholarly journals High-Resolution Modelling of Thermal Exposure during a Hot Spell: A Case Study Using PALM-4U in Prague, Czech Republic

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 175
Author(s):  
Jan Geletič ◽  
Michal Lehnert ◽  
Pavel Krč ◽  
Jaroslav Resler ◽  
Eric Scott Krayenhoff
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Thermal Exposure ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Cooling Effect ◽  
Spatiotemporal Variability ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Street Canyons ◽  
General Terms

The modelling of thermal exposure in outdoor urban environments is a highly topical challenge in modern climate research. This paper presents the results derived from a new micrometeorological model that employs an integrated biometeorology module to model Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). This is PALM-4U, which includes an integrated human body-shape parameterization, deployed herein for a pilot domain in Prague, Czech Republic. The results highlight the key role of radiation in the spatiotemporal variability of thermal exposure in moderate-climate urban areas during summer days in terms of the way in which this directly affects thermal comfort through radiant temperature and indirectly through the complexity of turbulence in street canyons. The model simulations suggest that the highest thermal exposure may be expected within street canyons near the irradiated north sides of east–west streets and near streets oriented north–south. Heat exposure in streets increases in proximity to buildings with reflective paints. The lowest heat exposure during the day may be anticipated in tree-shaded courtyards. The cooling effect of trees may range from 4 °C to 9 °C in UTCI, and the cooling effect of grass in comparison with artificial paved surfaces in open public places may be from 2 °C to 5 °C UTCI. In general terms, this study illustrates that the PALM modelling system provides a new perspective on the spatiotemporal differentiation of thermal exposure at the pedestrian level; it may therefore contribute to more climate-sensitive urban planning.

scholarly journals Mobility Trends before and after the Pandemic Outbreak: Analyzing the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona through the Lens of Equality and Sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7908
Author(s):  
Lucía Mejía-Dorantes ◽  
Lídia Montero ◽  
Jaume Barceló
Keyword(s):  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Mobility Patterns ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Temporal Dimension ◽  
Population Groups ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Before And After

The spatial arrangement of a metropolis is of utmost importance to carry out daily activities, which are constrained by space and time. Accessibility is not only shaped by the spatial and temporal dimension, but it is also defined by individual characteristics, such as gender, impairments, or socioeconomic characteristics of the citizens living or commuting in this area. This study analyzes mobility trends and patterns in the metropolitan area of Barcelona before and after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, with special emphasis on gender and equality. The study draws on multiple sources of information; however, two main datasets are analyzed: two traditional travel surveys from the transport metropolitan area of Barcelona and two coming from smartphone data. The results show that gender plays a relevant role when analyzing mobility patterns, as already highlighted in other studies, but, after the pandemic outbreak, some population groups were more likely to change their mobility patterns, for example, highly educated population groups and those with higher income. This study also highlights that e-activities may shape new mobility patterns and living conditions for some population segments, but some activities cannot be replaced by IT technologies. For all these reasons, city and transport planning should foster sustainable development policies, which will provide the maximum benefit for society.

scholarly journals An Eco-Friendly Multimodal Route Guidance System for Urban Areas Using Multi-Agent Technology

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2057
Author(s):  
Abdallah Namoun ◽  
Ali Tufail ◽  
Nikolay Mehandjiev ◽  
Ahmed Alrehaili ◽  
Javad Akhlaghinia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Flow ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
Guidance System ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Flow Density ◽  
Route Guidance ◽  
Agent Based

The use and coordination of multiple modes of travel efficiently, although beneficial, remains an overarching challenge for urban cities. This paper implements a distributed architecture of an eco-friendly transport guidance system by employing the agent-based paradigm. The paradigm uses software agents to model and represent the complex transport infrastructure of urban environments, including roads, buses, trolleybuses, metros, trams, bicycles, and walking. The system exploits live traffic data (e.g., traffic flow, density, and CO2 emissions) collected from multiple data sources (e.g., road sensors and SCOOT) to provide multimodal route recommendations for travelers through a dedicated application. Moreover, the proposed system empowers the transport management authorities to monitor the traffic flow and conditions of a city in real-time through a dedicated web visualization. We exhibit the advantages of using different types of agents to represent the versatile nature of transport networks and realize the concept of smart transportation. Commuters are supplied with multimodal routes that endeavor to reduce travel times and transport carbon footprint. A technical simulation was executed using various parameters to demonstrate the scalability of our multimodal traffic management architecture. Subsequently, two real user trials were carried out in Nottingham (United Kingdom) and Sofia (Bulgaria) to show the practicality and ease of use of our multimodal travel information system in providing eco-friendly route guidance. Our validation results demonstrate the effectiveness of personalized multimodal route guidance in inducing a positive travel behavior change and the ability of the agent-based route planning system to scale to satisfy the requirements of traffic infrastructure in diverse urban environments.

Wetland Roofs as an Attractive Option for Decentralized Water Management and Air Conditioning Enhancement in Growing Cities—A Review

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1845
Author(s):  
Andreas Zehnsdorf ◽  
Keani C. U. Willebrand ◽  
Ralf Trabitzsch ◽  
Sarah Knechtel ◽  
Michael Blumberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Positive Side ◽  
Climate Regulation ◽  
Decentralized Treatment ◽  
Attractive Option ◽  
Stormwater Retention ◽  
Positive Side Effects

While constructed wetlands have become established for the decentralized treatment of wastewater and rainwater, wetland roofs have only been built in isolated cases up to now. The historical development of wetland roofs is described here on the basis of a survey of literature and patents, and the increasing interest in this ecotechnology around the world is presented. In particular, this article describes the potential for using wetland roofs and examines experience with applications in decentralized water management in urban environments and for climate regulation in buildings. Wetland roofs are suitable as a green-blue technology for the future—particularly in cities with an acute shortage of unoccupied ground-level sites—for the decentralized treatment of wastewater streams of various origins. Positive “side effects” such as nearly complete stormwater retention and the improvement of climates in buildings and their surroundings, coupled with an increase in biodiversity, make wetland roofs an ideal multi-functional technology for urban areas.

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