scholarly journals PARCEL DELIVERY IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT USING UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS: A VISION PAPER

2017 ◽  
Vol IV-4/W4 ◽  
pp. 73-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Anbaroğlu
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Battery Life ◽  
Logistics Industry ◽  
Art Research ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Technological Achievement

This vision paper addresses the challenges and explores the avenue of solutions regarding the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for transporting parcels in urban areas. We have already witnessed companies’ delivering parcels using UAS in rural areas, but the challenge of utilizing them for an urban environment is eminent. Nevertheless, the increasing research on the various aspects of UAS, including their battery life, resistance to harsh weather conditions and sensing its environment foresee their common usage in the logistics industry, especially in an urban environment. In addition, the increasing trend on 3D city modelling offer new directions regarding realistic as well as light 3D city models that are easy to modify and distribute. Utilizing UAS for transporting parcels in an urban environment would be a disruptive technological achievement as our roads will be less congested which would lead to less air pollution as well as wasted money and time. In addition, parcels could potentially be delivered much faster. This paper argues, with the support of the state-of-the-art research, that UASs will be used for transporting parcels in an urban environment in the coming decades.

scholarly journals Rural Healthcare IoT Architecture Based on Low-Energy LoRa

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7660
Author(s):  
Ace Dimitrievski ◽  
Sonja Filiposka ◽  
Francisco José Melero ◽  
Eftim Zdravevski ◽  
Petre Lameski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Battery Life ◽  
Ultra Low Power ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Doctor Patient Communication ◽  
Connected Health ◽  
Iot Devices

Connected health is expected to introduce an improvement in providing healthcare and doctor-patient communication while at the same time reducing cost. Connected health would introduce an even more significant gap between healthcare quality for urban areas with physical proximity and better communication to providers and the portion of rural areas with numerous connectivity issues. We identify these challenges using user scenarios and propose LoRa based architecture for addressing these challenges. We focus on the energy management of battery-powered, affordable IoT devices for long-term operation, providing important information about the care receivers’ well-being. Using an external ultra-low-power timer, we extended the battery life in the order of tens of times, compared to relying on low power modes of the microcontroller.

scholarly journals Does living in an urban environment confer advantages for childhood nutritional status? Analysis of disparities in nutritional status by wealth and residence in Angola, Central African Republic and Senegal

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina Kennedy ◽  
Guy Nantel ◽  
Inge D Brouwer ◽  
Frans J Kok
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Urban Environment ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Central African Republic ◽  
Wealth Index ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Poor Children

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between childhood undernutrition and poverty in urban and rural areas.DesignAnthropometric and socio-economic data from Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in Angola-Secured Territory (Angola ST), Central African Republic and Senegal were used in this analysis. The population considered in this study is children 0–59 months, whose records include complete anthropometric data on height, weight, age, gender, socio-economic level and urban or rural area of residence. In addition to simple urban/rural comparisons, the population was stratified using a wealth index based on living conditions and asset ownership to compare the prevalence, mean Z-score and odds ratios for stunting and wasting.ResultsIn all cases, when using a simple urban/rural comparison, the prevalence of stunting was significantly higher in rural areas. However, when the urban and rural populations were stratified using a measure of wealth, the differences in prevalence of stunting and underweight in urban and rural areas of Angola ST, Central African Republic and Senegal disappeared. Poor children in these urban areas were just as likely to be stunted or underweight as poor children living in rural areas. The odds ratio of stunting in the poorest compared with the richest quintile was 3.4, 3.2 and 1.5 in Angola ST, Senegal and Central African Republic, respectively.ConclusionsThis paper demonstrates that simple urban/rural comparisons mask wide disparities in subgroups according to wealth. There is a strong relationship between poverty and chronic undernutrition in both urban and rural areas; this relationship does not change simply by living in an urban environment. However, urban and rural living conditions and lifestyles differ, and it is important to consider these differences when designing programmes and policies to address undernutrition.

scholarly journals Functional links between rural and urban areas in the territory of the city of Banja Luka and the perspective of their development

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-62
Author(s):  
Milan Tomić ◽  
Sandra Rover ◽  
Bojan Pejović ◽  
Nina Uremović
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Urban Center ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Political Dimensions ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Banja Luka

Different types of interactions between rural and urban areas have the effect of improving economic, social, cultural and political dimensions in both areas, separating these two areas by their type of activity. Rural and urban types of regions have different resources and means that can be used in a complementary way. In rural-urban interaction there is a possibility of occurrence of conflict of interest of these two areas. This kind of conflict should be overcome when applying the partnership approach between rural and urban areas. The types of rural areas, depending on the proximity of the urban center and the functions of these areas, are divided into suburban, agricultural and remote type areas. By determining the functions of each type of area, the type and intensity of the interactions of rural areas with the urban center are presented. Rural entrepreneurs are able to bridge rural-urban differences, possessing certain market knowledge and descriptions of the characteristics of urban environments, while benefiting from their position. Rural entrepreneurs' interaction with the urban environment can contribute to sustainable economic relations between citizens in urban and rural areas. This paper presents the results of research related to determining the functions of certain areas, their strengths, unused and utilized resources, the frequency of interaction with the urban environment and the perspectives of suburban, agricultural and remote type areas in the context of interaction with the urban environment.

scholarly journals Assessing the Ability of Image Based Point Clouds Captured from a UAV to Measure the Terrain in the Presence of Canopy Cover

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Wallace ◽  
Chris Bellman ◽  
Bryan Hally ◽  
Jaime Hernandez ◽  
Simon Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ground Surface ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Image Capture ◽  
Terrain Model ◽  
Processing Strategies ◽  
Aerial Systems

Point clouds captured from Unmanned Aerial Systems are increasingly relied upon to provide information describing the structure of forests. The quality of the information derived from these point clouds is dependent on a range of variables, including the type and structure of the forest, weather conditions and flying parameters. A key requirement to achieve accurate estimates of height based metrics describing forest structure is a source of ground information. This study explores the availability and reliability of ground surface points available within point clouds captured in six forests of different structure (canopy cover and height), using three image capture and processing strategies, consisting of nadir, oblique and composite nadir/oblique image networks. The ground information was extracted through manual segmentation of the point clouds as well as through the use of two commonly used ground filters, LAStools lasground and the Cloth Simulation Filter. The outcomes of these strategies were assessed against ground control captured with a Total Station. Results indicate that a small increase in the number of ground points captured (between 0 and 5% of a 10 m radius plot) can be achieved through the use of a composite image network. In the case of manually identified ground points, this reduced the root mean square error (RMSE) error of the terrain model by between 1 and 11 cm, with greater reductions seen in plots with high canopy cover. The ground filters trialled were not able to exploit the extra information in the point clouds and inconsistent results in terrain RMSE were obtained across the various plots and imaging network configurations. The use of a composite network also provided greater penetration into the canopy, which is likely to improve the representation of mid-canopy elements.

scholarly journals Urban environment and cancer in wildlife: available evidence and future research avenues

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1894) ◽  
pp. 20182434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuul Sepp ◽  
Beata Ujvari ◽  
Paul W. Ewald ◽  
Frédéric Thomas ◽  
Mathieu Giraudeau
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Defence Mechanisms ◽  
Cancer Prevalence ◽  
Animal Populations ◽  
Urban Conditions

While it is generally known that the risk of several cancers in humans is higher in urban areas compared with rural areas, cancer is often deemed a problem of human societies with modern lifestyles. At the same time, more and more wild animals are affected by urbanization processes and are faced with the need to adapt or acclimate to urban conditions. These include, among other things, increased exposure to an assortment of pollutants (e.g. chemicals, light and noise), novel types of food and new infections. According to the abundant literature available for humans, all of these factors are associated with an increased probability of developing cancerous neoplasias; however, the link between the urban environment and cancer in wildlife has not been discussed in the scientific literature. Here, we describe the available evidence linking environmental changes resulting from urbanization to cancer-related physiological changes in wild animals. We identify the knowledge gaps in this field and suggest future research avenues, with the ultimate aim of understanding how our modern lifestyle affects cancer prevalence in urbanizing wild populations. In addition, we consider the possibilities of using urban wild animal populations as models to study the association between environmental factors and cancer epidemics in humans, as well as to understand the evolution of cancer and defence mechanisms against it.

scholarly journals Synergies between urban heat island and heat waves in Seoul: The role of wind speed and land use characteristics

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243571
Author(s):  
Jack Ngarambe ◽  
Jacques Nganyiyimana ◽  
Inhan Kim ◽  
Mat Santamouris ◽  
Geun Young Yun
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Urban Heat Island ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Heat Island ◽  
Emergency Relief ◽  
Urban Heat

The effects of heat waves (HW) are more pronounced in urban areas than in rural areas due to the additive effect of the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon. However, the synergies between UHI and HW are still an open scientific question and have only been quantified for a few metropolitan cities. In the current study, we explore the synergies between UHI and HW in Seoul city. We consider summertime data from two non-consecutive years (i.e., 2012 and 2016) and ten automatic weather stations. Our results show that UHI is more intense during HW periods than non-heat wave (NHW) periods (i.e., normal summer background conditions), with a maximum UHI difference of 3.30°C and 4.50°C, between HW and NHW periods, in 2012 and 2016 respectively. Our results also show substantial variations in the synergies between UHI and HW due to land use characteristics and synoptic weather conditions; the synergies were relatively more intense in densely built areas and under low wind speed conditions. Our results contribute to our understanding of thermal risks posed by HW in urban areas and, subsequently, the health risks on urban populations. Moreover, they are of significant importance to emergency relief providers as a resource allocation guideline, for instance, regarding which areas and time of the day to prioritize during HW periods in Seoul.

scholarly journals Trends, benefits, and barriers of unmanned aerial systems in the construction industry: a survey study in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 84-111
Author(s):  
Gilles Albeaino ◽  
Masoud Gheisari
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Progress Monitoring ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
The United States ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
Aerial Systems

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) have rapidly been integrated into the construction industry over the past few years, and their application is continually growing in this domain. The recent development in UAS regulations and technical capabilities have played a significant role in their popularity and wide deployment in various stages of the construction lifecycle. UASs could be used as a platform to enhance the construction practices in general; however, little is known about how construction professionals are adopting this technology in specific construction practices and the barriers they are facing for their successful implementation. The purpose of this study is to explore the current state-of-practice of UAS integration in construction from the industry professionals’ viewpoint. A comprehensive survey study was conducted in the United States to identify the practical construction UAS application areas, their adopted technologies, as well as the benefits and barriers encountered during their implementation. Responses (n=56) showed that most common UAS applications include progress monitoring, site planning, and site surveying/mapping. Rotary-wing vehicles and visual and thermal cameras were the most used platforms and onboard sensors, respectively. Saving time, improving accessibility to compromised spaces, and reducing cost while accomplishing construction tasks were highly regarded as UAS implementation benefits in construction. Participants also considered flying in various weather conditions, within confined or congested areas, as well as the advanced technical know-how requirements, and the increased liability and legal challenges as barriers to using UASs in construction-related tasks. By understanding UAS adoption in construction, this study provides a roadmap to better identify the industry needs and guide researchers and professionals in investigating application areas and barriers that might have maximum benefits for the construction industry in the United States.

scholarly journals 435 Seasonal Amplitude and Distribution of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 468D-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris A. Martin ◽  
Linda B. Stabler
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Concentration ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Elevated Atmospheric Co2 ◽  
Mobile Vehicle ◽  
The Phoenix

Combustion of fossil fuels in urban areas might increase local atmospheric CO2 concentrations and could result in an urban to rural CO2 concentration gradient. Our objective was to ascertain if such a CO2 gradient exists and to characterize seasonal patterns of amplitude and distribution of atmospheric CO2 concentrations in the Phoenix, Ariz., metropolitan, area. Atmospheric CO2 concentration was measured along a series of gradients that transected the greater Phoenix metropolitan area in June 1999, in Dec. 1999, and Jan. 2000. Carbon dioxide concentration was measured with a portable infrared gas analyzer in open system mode from a mobile vehicle traveling at a constant rate of speed. All measurements were made around 0500 and 1500 HR on days when weather conditions were clear and calm. The CO2 intake port was located above the vehicle at a height of 2.5 m. Data were categorized based on distance from the Phoenix urban core, defined as the intersection of Central Avenue and Van Buren Street. Gradients of high to low CO2 concentration existed from city center to outlying rural areas. Carbon dioxide concentrations were highest during winter and varied most during the afternoon. Mean CO2 concentrations in central Phoenix were 12% higher than surrounding rural areas during summer, but were up to twice as high as rural areas during winter. We conclude that there is a potential for atmospheric CO2 fertilization of plants in the Phoenix area, particularly of urban landscape plants that are biologically active during winter.

Unmanned Aerial System measurements of surface albedo for the melting season during the MOSAiC expedition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radiance Calmer ◽  
Gijs de Boer ◽  
Jonathan Hamilton ◽  
John Cassano ◽  
Gina Jozef ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Surface Albedo ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Surface Heterogeneity ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Ice Melt ◽  
Melt Pond ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
Ocean Ridge ◽  
Aerial Systems

<p>The University of Colorado, Boulder, deployed unmanned aerial systems (UAS) over the sea ice during Leg 4 (June-August 2020) of the MOSAiC expedition. Among the different UAS platforms operated, a hexacopter, the HELiX, was dedicated for characterizing the surface properties, such as the surface albedo and the sea ice/melt pond fractions. The HELiX was equipped with two pyranometers to measure incoming and reflected broadband shortwave irradiance, and a multispectral camera to map the surface of the ice floe. Three flight plans were conducted with this platform, including (1) grid patterns at 10 m.asl to map out the distribution of albedo at this altitude, (2) hovering flights at 3 m.asl over identified surfaces (sea ice, melt pond, ocean, ridge, etc.) to get a detailed look at the albedo of each surface individually, and (3) profiles up to 100 m.asl. to evaluate the convergence height where surface heterogeneity is obscured when using a hemispheric sensor. In total, 34 flights took place in varied weather conditions, from clear sky to foggy weather with very low visibility. The UAS observations bring complementary results to a variety of other albedo observations collected during MOSAiC (albedo lines, sled-based, tethered balloon-based, and ship-based measurements).  These observations spanned the majority of the melt season, capturing seasonal evolution in surface reflectivity, as well as melt pond fraction and resulting impact on surface albedo.  In this presentation, we will present results from these flight activities and offer perspectives on the evolving sea ice pack during the summer portion of the MOSAiC expedition.</p>

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