scholarly journals Special Issue on Field Robotics with Vision Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1215-1215
Author(s):  
Takanori Fukao ◽  
Yuichi Tsumaki ◽  
Keita Kurashiki
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
Autonomous Driving ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Rapid Progress ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Vision Systems ◽  
Underwater Robots ◽  
Field Robotics ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Outdoor Environments

Field robotics has been undergoing rapid progress in recent years. It addresses a wide range of activities performed in outdoor environments, and its applications are being developed in areas where it was previously considered difficult to apply. This rapid progress is largely supported by AI-based improvements in computer vision systems with monocular cameras, stereo cameras, RGB-D cameras, LiDAR systems, and/or other sensors. Field robotics is impelled by an application-driven approach by its nature, and it contributes to the resolution of social problems and the creation of new innovations, including autonomous driving to reduce casualties, autonomous working machines/robots to resolve the problems of labor shortages or dangers, disaster-response robots to aid rescue parties, various kinds of aerial robots to do searches or make deliveries, underwater robots to perform search missions, etc. In this special issue on “Field Robotics with Vision Systems,” we highlight sixteen interesting papers, including one review paper, fourteen research papers, and one development report. They cover various application areas, ranging from underwater to space environments, and they propose interesting integration methods or element technologies to use in outdoor environments where vision systems and robot systems have great difficulty performing robustly. We thank all authors and reviewers, and we hope that this special issue contributes to future research and development in area of field robotics, which promises new innovations.

scholarly journals Introduction: special issue on the economics of climate change and sustainability (Part A)

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 555-559
Author(s):  
Elettra Agliardi ◽  
Marco Casari ◽  
Anastasios Xepapadeas
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
International Workshop ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Location Decisions ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Subsequent Issue ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Experimental Approaches ◽  
Economics Department ◽  
The University

AbstractClimate change is one of the most significant and complex challenges facing the world's economies. The necessity to enlarge the knowledge base regarding climate change and its impacts and to design efficient policies is widely accepted by the scientific community, the decision makers and the general public. This special issue, which will be published in two parts in the current and subsequent issue of Environment and Development Economics, is a selection of papers related to the topic of the international workshop on ‘The Economics of Climate Change and Sustainability’ organized by the Economics Department of the University of Bologna in April 2018. The papers in this special issue cover a wide range of climate-change-related topics, which include endogenous growth and overlapping generation models; climate-related financing and green bonds; demographics; location decisions; technology diffusion; quantitative relationships and experimental approaches. We hope that this special issue will provide some new insights into the economics of climate change and help to identify new directions for future research.

Special Issue on “What can We do for Developing Search and Rescue Robot?”

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-435
Author(s):  
Koichi Osuka
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Response System ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Response Systems ◽  
Rescue Robots

As a disaster-prone country, Japan has endured many earthquake disasters. The latest cases include the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake disaster, the 2004 Niigata Chuetsu earthquake, and the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake. Since the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in particular, many robot researchers have started undertaking the research and development of rescue robots. Their practical applications have a long way to go, so to continue ongoing robot research and development, we should also be aware that comparatively few researchers and engineers are actually engaged in such research and development. Great earthquakes (or tsunami) are both rare and unpredictable, which makes it very difficult to establish research policies for rescue robots intended for specialized use in disaster response. We should also realize that Japan is almost constantly hit by one or another every year – e.g., the typhoons that hit Japan directly every year and themselves triggering other disasters caused by landslides or avalanches due to heavy rainfall. The Japanese populace is so accustomed to such happenings but, nevertheless, few actions have been taken unlike those against large-scale earthquakes. It is often said that an effective disaster response system can only be developed after we have experienced many actual disasters. It then occurs to us that we must first construct disaster response systems – rescue robots, etc. – directly targeting daily natural disasters. Any large-scale disaster response system can be built on such constant efforts. On the other hand, any disaster response system against daily natural disasters could only be developed by locally domiciled researchers and engineers. This makes us feel that it is possible to increase the number of personnel who become involved in disaster response research and development. Based on the above context, this special issue provides a wide range of articles on region-specific disasters and disaster response actions, focusing on their localities and specialties. We sincerely hope that this special issue will help in promoting research and development on rescue robots and putting them to practical use.

scholarly journals Introduction: special issue on the economics of climate change and sustainability (Part B)

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Elettra Agliardi ◽  
Marco Casari ◽  
Anastasios Xepapadeas
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
International Workshop ◽  
First Century ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Location Decisions ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Experimental Approaches ◽  
Economics Department ◽  
The University

AbstractClimate change is considered to be one of the most significant and complex challenges facing the world in the twenty-first century. As such, it is essential to increase the knowledge base regarding climate change and how best to address its impacts through efficient policies. This special issue, which is divided into two parts – published in the previous and current issues of Environment and Development Economics – is a selection of papers related to ‘The Economics of Climate Change and Sustainability’, the topic of an international workshop organized by the Economics Department of the University of Bologna in April 2018. The papers in this special issue cover a wide range of climate-change-related topics, including endogenous growth and overlapping generation models; climate-related financing and green bonds; demography; location decisions and technology diffusion; quantitative relationships and experimental approaches. They aim at providing new insights into the economics of climate change and help to identify new directions for future research.

scholarly journals INCA : summary and conclusions

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 607-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Neal ◽  
P. G. Whitehead ◽  
N. Flynn
Keyword(s):  
Organic Nitrogen ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Nitrogen Dynamics ◽  
Multiple Source ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Major River ◽  
Small Catchments

Abstract. This contribution brings to a close a special issue of Hydrology and Earth System Sciences concerning the assessment of nitrogen dynamics in catchments across Europe within a semi-distributed Integrated Nitrogen model for multiple source assessment in Catchments (INCA). The wide range of issues involved in relation to hydrology and within-catchment processes, scale (from small catchments to major river basins), climate (from sub-arctic to Mediterranean regimes) and pollution (atmospheric, agricultural and urban sources) is outlined. Consideration is then given to how well the model has performed and future research requirements are outlined. Keywords: nitrogen, nitrate, ammonium, organic nitrogen, catchments, streams, rivers, river basins

Special Issue on Construction Robot

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 923-923
Author(s):  
Yoshitaka Yanagihara ◽  
Hiroshi Yoshinada ◽  
Fumihiro Inoue
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Position Measurement ◽  
Network Systems ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Drive Control ◽  
Outdoor Environments ◽  
Control Technologies ◽  
Application Fields

Robot and mechatronics technologies in the construction industry, as in the manufacturing industry, are, first of all, expected to help provide high-quality structures and services safely in the shortest possible time at the lowest possible expense. Increasingly greater expectations have arisen since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake in regard to technologies involving disaster response and global environment protection. Under these circumstances, we are publishing a special issue on element technologies required for construction robots, and technologies adopted at actual disaster sites. These papers include one each on automatic and drive control technologies for heavy machinery, five on remote operations, three on position measurement and detection technologies, and three on technologies to be used at actual disaster sites. Application fields of these technologies are broad enough to cover all building and civil engineering work, network systems to be incorporated into structures, disaster response, marine development, and space development. Construction robots have always required robust robot technologies for severe outdoor work. We hope this special issue will help to accelerate the research and development of construction robots, to promote practical applications, and to support the utilization of element technologies in special environments in addition to outdoor environments.

State of the art and trends in using smart materials and systems in transportation vehicles

1998 ◽  
Vol 212 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chr Boller
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Smart Materials ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Autonomous Driving ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Smart Cameras ◽  
Control Functions ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
And Control

An overview is given on state-of-the-art development and future trends in integrating sensing, actuation and control functions into transportation vehicles. After categorizing the wide range of smart materials and systems various applications from the aerospace, automotive and railway sector are described, which are either already in use or very much considered for application. This includes systems for damage monitoring and situation awareness using smart sensors and antennae, autonomous driving based on smart cameras, thermal and electrical controlled actuation in engines and for comfort improvement, systems for vibration damping and noise cancellation and much more. Technology gaps to be closed in future research activities are described.

scholarly journals Special Issue “Interplay between Fungal Pathogens and Harvested Crops and Fruits”

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 553
Author(s):  
Dov B. Prusky ◽  
Edward Sionov
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Fungal Colonization ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Pathogenicity Factors ◽  
Fruit Maturity ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Food Toxin

The interplay between fungal pathogens and harvest crops is important in determining the extent of food losses following the storage and transport of crops to consumers. The specific factors modulating the activation of colonization are of key importance to determining the initiation of fungal colonization and host losses. It is clear nowadays from the wide number of transcription studies in colonized fruits that pathogenicity in postharvest produce is not only the result of activation of fungal pathogenicity factors but is significantly contributed to fruit maturity and ripening. In this editorial summary of the Special Issue “Interplay between Fungal Pathogens and Harvested Crops and Fruits”, we present a short summary of future research directions on the importance of the interplay between fruit and pathogens and nine published papers (one review and eight original research papers), covering a wide range of subjects within the mechanism of pathogenicity by postharvest pathogens, including transcriptome analysis of pathogenesis, pathogenicity factors, new antifungal compounds and food toxin occurrence by pathogens. This summary may lead the reader to understand the key factors modulating pathogenicity in fruits.

Comparative Effects of High-Tech Visual Scene Displays and Low-Tech Isolated Picture Symbols on Engagement From Students With Multiple Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 693-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Holyfield ◽  
Sydney Brooks ◽  
Allison Schluterman
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
Visual Scene ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Difference

Purpose Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is an intervention approach that can promote communication and language in children with multiple disabilities who are beginning communicators. While a wide range of AAC technologies are available, little is known about the comparative effects of specific technology options. Given that engagement can be low for beginning communicators with multiple disabilities, the current study provides initial information about the comparative effects of 2 AAC technology options—high-tech visual scene displays (VSDs) and low-tech isolated picture symbols—on engagement. Method Three elementary-age beginning communicators with multiple disabilities participated. The study used a single-subject, alternating treatment design with each technology serving as a condition. Participants interacted with their school speech-language pathologists using each of the 2 technologies across 5 sessions in a block randomized order. Results According to visual analysis and nonoverlap of all pairs calculations, all 3 participants demonstrated more engagement with the high-tech VSDs than the low-tech isolated picture symbols as measured by their seconds of gaze toward each technology option. Despite the difference in engagement observed, there was no clear difference across the 2 conditions in engagement toward the communication partner or use of the AAC. Conclusions Clinicians can consider measuring engagement when evaluating AAC technology options for children with multiple disabilities and should consider evaluating high-tech VSDs as 1 technology option for them. Future research must explore the extent to which differences in engagement to particular AAC technologies result in differences in communication and language learning over time as might be expected.

Understanding Limited Use of Amplification in Infants and Children Who Are Hard of Hearing

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan W. McCreery ◽  
Elizabeth A. Walker ◽  
Meredith Spratford
Keyword(s):  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Hearing Aid Use ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
In Infants And Children

The effectiveness of amplification for infants and children can be mediated by how much the child uses the device. Existing research suggests that establishing hearing aid use can be challenging. A wide range of factors can influence hearing aid use in children, including the child's age, degree of hearing loss, and socioeconomic status. Audiological interventions, including using validated prescriptive approaches and verification, performing on-going training and orientation, and communicating with caregivers about hearing aid use can also increase hearing aid use by infants and children. Case examples are used to highlight the factors that influence hearing aid use. Potential management strategies and future research needs are also discussed.

The Attenuation of Very Low Frequency Brain Oscillations in Transitions from a Rest State to Active Attention

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzannah K. Helps ◽  
Samantha J. Broyd ◽  
Christopher J. James ◽  
Anke Karl ◽  
Edmund J. S. Sonuga-Barke
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Sampling Rate ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Default Mode ◽  
Very Low Frequency ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Interference Hypothesis ◽  
Mode Interference

Background: The default mode interference hypothesis ( Sonuga-Barke & Castellanos, 2007 ) predicts (1) the attenuation of very low frequency oscillations (VLFO; e.g., .05 Hz) in brain activity within the default mode network during the transition from rest to task, and (2) that failures to attenuate in this way will lead to an increased likelihood of periodic attention lapses that are synchronized to the VLFO pattern. Here, we tested these predictions using DC-EEG recordings within and outside of a previously identified network of electrode locations hypothesized to reflect DMN activity (i.e., S3 network; Helps et al., 2008 ). Method: 24 young adults (mean age 22.3 years; 8 male), sampled to include a wide range of ADHD symptoms, took part in a study of rest to task transitions. Two conditions were compared: 5 min of rest (eyes open) and a 10-min simple 2-choice RT task with a relatively high sampling rate (ISI 1 s). DC-EEG was recorded during both conditions, and the low-frequency spectrum was decomposed and measures of the power within specific bands extracted. Results: Shift from rest to task led to an attenuation of VLFO activity within the S3 network which was inversely associated with ADHD symptoms. RT during task also showed a VLFO signature. During task there was a small but significant degree of synchronization between EEG and RT in the VLFO band. Attenuators showed a lower degree of synchrony than nonattenuators. Discussion: The results provide some initial EEG-based support for the default mode interference hypothesis and suggest that failure to attenuate VLFO in the S3 network is associated with higher synchrony between low-frequency brain activity and RT fluctuations during a simple RT task. Although significant, the effects were small and future research should employ tasks with a higher sampling rate to increase the possibility of extracting robust and stable signals.

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