Recent Trends and Issues of Volcanic Disaster Response with Mobile Robots

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keiji Nagatani ◽  

<div class=""abs_img""><img src=""[disp_template_path]/JRM/abst-image/00260004/04.jpg"" width=""300"" />Volcano observation robots </span></div> Typically, volcanic eruptions cause heavy damage in its vicinity area, and the eruption often continues for years. During this period, a restricted area is set up in the vicinity of the crater, in order to ensure the safety of people. Therefore, it is important for mitigation of volcanic disaster to realize observation of the eruption and mudslide-control construction based on teleoperation-type robotic technology. To promote development of such technologies, various types of volcano exploration robots have been researched and developed in Japan and overseas. With regard to volcanic observations, this paper presents conventional methods for volcanic teleoperated observation, and discusses technical issues and research topics for the future technologies, particularly, mobile robotics and flying robotics. With regard to mudslide-control construction, the paper describes the teleoperated construction system that has been developed at Fugendake of Mount Unzen, and discusses technical problems in current unmanned construction system to be solved in the near future. </span>

Author(s):  
Gary Sutlieff ◽  
Lucy Berthoud ◽  
Mark Stinchcombe

Abstract CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) threats are becoming more prevalent, as more entities gain access to modern weapons and industrial technologies and chemicals. This has produced a need for improvements to modelling, detection, and monitoring of these events. While there are currently no dedicated satellites for CBRN purposes, there are a wide range of possibilities for satellite data to contribute to this field, from atmospheric composition and chemical detection to cloud cover, land mapping, and surface property measurements. This study looks at currently available satellite data, including meteorological data such as wind and cloud profiles, surface properties like temperature and humidity, chemical detection, and sounding. Results of this survey revealed several gaps in the available data, particularly concerning biological and radiological detection. The results also suggest that publicly available satellite data largely does not meet the requirements of spatial resolution, coverage, and latency that CBRN detection requires, outside of providing terrain use and building height data for constructing models. Lastly, the study evaluates upcoming instruments, platforms, and satellite technologies to gauge the impact these developments will have in the near future. Improvements in spatial and temporal resolution as well as latency are already becoming possible, and new instruments will fill in the gaps in detection by imaging a wider range of chemicals and other agents and by collecting new data types. This study shows that with developments coming within the next decade, satellites should begin to provide valuable augmentations to CBRN event detection and monitoring. Article Highlights There is a wide range of existing satellite data in fields that are of interest to CBRN detection and monitoring. The data is mostly of insufficient quality (resolution or latency) for the demanding requirements of CBRN modelling for incident control. Future technologies and platforms will improve resolution and latency, making satellite data more viable in the CBRN management field


2002 ◽  
pp. 103-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miroljub Djorovic ◽  
Ljubomir Letic

Observation of underground water level in the area of "Jasensko-Belilo", which belongs to the Forest Estate "Sremska Mitrovica", started in 1999. The measurements were performed by means of 2 piezometers set up approximately perpendicularly to the river Sava, forming profile number 1 (Fig.1). The results of these measurements (Fig. 2, 3) show a significant lowering of groundwater level in 2000. The reason is most likely the unfavorable rainfall amount and distribution during that year (Table 2). A much better situation was during 2001 when the minimal groundwater level was up to 2 meters and it was considered to be the result of a favorable amount of rainfall and its distribution during the year (Tables 2, 3). It was noticed that Carpinus betulus appears instead of flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus), which is a good sign that generally the level of underground water is lowering. Also, the phenomenon that pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) gradually loses its natural regeneration capability also confirms the trend of lowering underground water level. If this trend continues, oak will be in a very near future naturally substituted by less valuable species, probably Turkey oak (Quercus cerris). If groundwater wells along the river Sava reach the vicinity of this area, which is a plan for the Belgrade city water supply, the trend of groundwater table lowering will be even more expressed and it will certainly endanger the existence of all valuable forest species in this area.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-138
Author(s):  
Željko Burcar

We live in a society of knowledge? Labor market needs every day set new demands for competences. The project approach to designing education appears to be inevitable. Competences are a key factor and one of the prerequisites for an individual's success in the labor market, which will be even more flexible in the near future. The labor market for 8 years will require many new competencies. The education system must prepare current students for future competencies based on ZVSSOUP model. In this paper, theoretical elements of designing and redesigning educational content have been set up according to project principles. Efficient project model algorithm assumes design from the final goal to the beginning. The proposed algorithm can meet the needs for quick redefinition of the required competencies for the future labor market and will also be tested by future empirical research.


Author(s):  
Nrangwesthi Widyaningrum ◽  
Muhammad Sarip Kodar ◽  
Risma Suryani Purwanto ◽  
Agung Priambodo

Indonesia has the most complete types of disasters in the world such as floods, landslides, tidal waves, tornadoes, drought, forest and land fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, liquefaction and many more. Natural disasters that occur in Indonesia often just happen and it is not predictable when it will happen. This causes problems in handling natural disasters. Natural disaster management is not a matter of BNPB or BPBD, one important element is the involvement of the Indonesian National Army (TNI). One of Indonesia's regions that are vulnerable to natural disasters is Lampung Province. This research will describe how the role of the TNI in the case study in Korem 043 / Gatam in helping to overcome natural disasters in Lampung Province. The research method used in this research is qualitative research with a literature study approach. The role of the TNI in disaster management in Lampung Province is inseparable from the duties and functions of the TNI that have been mandated in Law Number 34 of 2004. Korem 043 / Gatam has taken strategic steps both from the pre-disaster, disaster response, and post-disaster phases . TNI involvement in the process of disaster management does not stand alone, but cooperates and synergizes with local governments.


Author(s):  
Anjan Pakhira ◽  
Peter Andras

Testing is a critical phase in the software life-cycle. While small-scale component-wise testing is done routinely as part of development and maintenance of large-scale software, the system level testing of the whole software is much more problematic due to low level of coverage of potential usage scenarios by test cases and high costs associated with wide-scale testing of large software. Here, the authors investigate the use of cloud computing to facilitate the testing of large-scale software. They discuss the aspects of cloud-based testing and provide an example application of this. They describe the testing of the functional importance of methods of classes in the Google Chrome software. The methods that we test are predicted to be functionally important with respect to a functionality of the software. The authors use network analysis applied to dynamic analysis data generated by the software to make these predictions. They check the validity of these predictions by mutation testing of a large number of mutated variants of the Google Chrome. The chapter provides details of how to set up the testing process on the cloud and discusses relevant technical issues.


2015 ◽  
pp. 1175-1203
Author(s):  
Anjan Pakhira ◽  
Peter Andras

Testing is a critical phase in the software life-cycle. While small-scale component-wise testing is done routinely as part of development and maintenance of large-scale software, the system level testing of the whole software is much more problematic due to low level of coverage of potential usage scenarios by test cases and high costs associated with wide-scale testing of large software. Here, the authors investigate the use of cloud computing to facilitate the testing of large-scale software. They discuss the aspects of cloud-based testing and provide an example application of this. They describe the testing of the functional importance of methods of classes in the Google Chrome software. The methods that we test are predicted to be functionally important with respect to a functionality of the software. The authors use network analysis applied to dynamic analysis data generated by the software to make these predictions. They check the validity of these predictions by mutation testing of a large number of mutated variants of the Google Chrome. The chapter provides details of how to set up the testing process on the cloud and discusses relevant technical issues.


Robotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Veljko Potkonjak

The article presents a viewpoint on the current status and limitations of humanoid robotics and possible future progress. It may be seen as a continuation of the article “How far away is artificial man?” published in 2001 by a group of authors, among them the author of the present text, in IEEE Robotics &Automation Magazine (IEEE RAM). The previous article defined three key aspects of advanced humanoids, namely human-like shape and motion, intelligence, and communication. The current article discusses the situation 18 years later and takes note of the trend towards biologically inspired solutions to technical problems. It might appear to put forward controversial ideas, but the author believes they are realistic observations and constitute a frank presentation of apparent tendencies. The author argues that the crucial breakthrough towards an “artificial man” has not yet been made, as formidable challenges remain and cannot be overcome easily in the near future. On the other hand, the question arises: After unsuccessful attempts to solve robotic problems by designing technical systems that increasingly imitate humans, can we finally drop out of engineering and completely turn to biology and look for solutions there? This controversial idea means artificial creation and mass production of human beings that behave like robots, i.e., robomimetic humans. The article is a brief reality check of this concept.


2010 ◽  
Vol 365 (1557) ◽  
pp. 3413-3428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tânia Sousa ◽  
Tiago Domingos ◽  
J.-C. Poggiale ◽  
S. A. L. M. Kooijman

We present the state of the art of the development of dynamic energy budget theory, and its expected developments in the near future within the molecular, physiological and ecological domains. The degree of formalization in the set-up of the theory, with its roots in chemistry, physics, thermodynamics, evolution and the consistent application of Occam's razor, is discussed. We place the various contributions in the theme issue within this theoretical setting, and sketch the scope of actual and potential applications.


Author(s):  
Jinquan Yan ◽  
Yinbiao He ◽  
Gang Li ◽  
Hao Yu

The ASME B&PV Code, Section III, is being used as the design acceptance criteria in the construction of China’s third generation AP1000 nuclear power plants. This is the first time that the ASME Code was fully accepted in Chinese nuclear power industry. In the past 6 years, a few improvements of the Code were found to be necessary to satisfy the various requirements originated from these new power plant (NPP) constructions. These improvements are originated from a) the stress-strain curves needed in elastic-plastic analysis, b) the environmental fatigue issue, c) the perplexity generated from the examination requirements after hydrostatic test and d) the safe end welding problems. In this paper, the necessities of these proposed improvements on the ASME B&PV code are further explained and discussed case by case. Hopefully, through these efforts, the near future development direction and assignment of the ASME B&PV-III China International Working Group can be set up.


1993 ◽  
Vol 138 ◽  
pp. 517-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thierry Lanz ◽  
Ivan Hubeny

AbstractSo far, neither chromospheres nor stellar winds have been directly detected in main-sequence A stars. While radiative diffusion requires extremely weak stellar winds to reproduce chemical anomalies (10−15 to 10−12M⊙yr−1), two independent direct searches for mass loss set up upper limits to 10−10 M⊙yr−1, which is still several orders of magnitude higher. We discuss some new recent possibilities to detect chromospheres which arise thanks to new NLTE model atmospheres. In the near future, some progress is also expected from new observations of Lyman α with HST and from the increased sensitivity of ROSAT in the X-ray domain.


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