Virtual fencing as a wildlife-vehicle collision mitigation measure: technical function, wildlife response and considerations for installation in an urban environment

2021 ◽  
Vol preprint (2021) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Reeves ◽  
Scott Burnett ◽  
Elizabeth Brunton
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Acoustic Signal ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Visual Signals ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Effective Measure ◽  
Vehicle Collision ◽  
Technical Function

ABSTRACT Virtual wildlife fencing presents as a cost-effective measure for roadkill mitigation, which aids in reducing fragmentation of wildlife populations by facilitating safer movement of wildlife across the landscape. In this study, we conducted an audit of a virtual fence installation in south-east Queensland, Australia. We assessed its reliability in flows of traffic and the effect that installation parameters and site conditions had on its effective operation in an urban setting. We made observations on the behavioural response of Eastern Grey Kangaroos Macropus giganteus to the acoustic signals produced by the fence. We found that the fencing activated consistently in response to headlights at dusk and dawn, and when traffic flows were dense, despite considerable variations in the range of installation parameters. However, we identified that the response of the virtual fence to headlights was affected by road curvature and we identified inconsistencies in the timing and pattern of activation in response to traffic. Behavioural observations showed a significant increase in kangaroo vigilance in response to the acoustic signal of the fence when resting or grazing, and kangaroos detected the acoustic signal up to 50 m away. While virtual fencing operates effectively and is a low-cost roadkill mitigation option that can be applied to the urban environment, more research is needed to better understand the effect of its acoustic and visual signals on wildlife behaviour and efficacy in busy urban environments.

Low Cost, High Accuracy Positioning In Urban Environments

2006 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Hide ◽  
Terry Moore ◽  
Chris Hill ◽  
David Park
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
High Accuracy ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Reference Trajectory ◽  
Differential Gps ◽  
Positioning Accuracy ◽  
Gps Receivers ◽  
Better Than

It is well known that GPS measurements are regularly obstructed in urban environments. Positioning accuracy in such environments is significantly degraded and in many areas, it is not possible to obtain a GPS position fix at all. There are currently two methods that can be used to improve availability in the urban environment. Firstly, GPS receivers can be augmented with dead reckoning sensors such as an INS. Alternatively, High Sensitivity GPS (HSGPS) receivers can be used which are able to acquire and track very weak signals. This paper assesses the performance obtained from a GPS and low cost INS integrated system and a HSGPS receiver in an urban environment in Nottingham, UK. The navigation systems are compared to a high accuracy integrated GPS/INS system which is used to provide a reference trajectory. It is demonstrated that the differential GPS and low cost INS system can provide horizontal positioning accuracy of better than 2·5 m RMS in real-time, and better than 1 m RMS in post-processing, whereas the non-differential HSGPS receiver provides a real-time performance of 5 m RMS. These results were obtained in an environment where, with conventional GPS receivers, a position solution is only available 48·4% of the time. Operational considerations such as initial alignment of the GPS and low cost INS are also discussed when comparing the two systems for urban positioning applications.

scholarly journals The BErkeley Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> Observation Network: initial evaluation

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis A. Shusterman ◽  
Virginia Teige ◽  
Alexander J. Turner ◽  
Catherine Newman ◽  
Jinsol Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Spatial Density ◽  
World Population ◽  
Observation Network

Abstract. With the majority of the world population residing in urban areas, attempts to monitor and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions must necessarily center on cities. However, existing carbon dioxide observation networks are ill-equipped to resolve the specific intra-city emission phenomena targeted by regulation. Here we describe the design and implementation of the BErkeley Atmospheric CO2 Observation Network (BEACO2N), a distributed CO2 monitoring instrument that utilizes low-cost technology to achieve unprecedented spatial density throughout and around the city of Oakland, California. We characterize the network in terms of four performance parameters–cost, reliability, precision, and bias–and find the BEACO2N approach to be sufficiently cost-effective and reliable while nonetheless providing high-quality atmospheric observations. First results from the initial installation successfully capture hourly, daily, and seasonal CO2 signals relevant to urban environments on spatial scales that cannot be accurately represented by atmospheric transport models alone, demonstrating the utility of high-resolution surface networks in urban greenhouse gas monitoring efforts.

A SCENARIO STUDY FOR IMPROVING COST-EFFECTIVENESS IN ACOUSTIC TIME-REVERSAL SOURCE RELOCATION IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (02) ◽  
pp. 1240003 ◽  
Author(s):  
LANBO LIU ◽  
HAO XIE ◽  
DONALD G. ALBERT ◽  
PAUL R. ELLER ◽  
JING-RU C. CHENG
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Urban Environment ◽  
Time Reversal ◽  
Sensor Array ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Single Sensor ◽  
Processor Unit ◽  
Single Receiver

Through finite difference time domain (FDTD) numerical simulation, we have studied the possible observation settings to improve the cost effectiveness in time-reversal (TR) source relocation in a two-dimensional (2D) urban setting under a number of typical scenarios. All scenario studies were based on the FDTD computation of the acoustic wave field resulted from an impulse source, propagated through an artificial village composed of 15 buildings and a set of sources and receivers, a typical urban setting has been extensively analyzed in previous studies. The FDTD numerical modeling code can be executed on an off-the-shelf graphic processor unit (GPU) that increases the speed of the time-reversal calculations by a factor of 200. With this approach the computational results lead to some significant conclusions. In general, using only one non-line-of-sight (NLOS) single receiver is not enough to do a quality work to re-locate the source via time-reversal. This is particularly true when there are more than one path between the source and this receiver with similar wave energy travel time. However, when the single sensor is located in an acoustic channel, reverberation inside the waveguide may increase the effective aperture of the single receiver enough to give a good location. It is equivalent to say that the waveguide and the single receiver form a "virtual array". It appears that a sensor array with a minimum number of three receivers might be the most cost-effective way to carry out TR source relocation in an urban environment. The most optimal geometry of a sensor array with a minimum number of three receivers could be an equal side-length triangle. Simple analysis showed that by this setup it is possible to catch sound sources from almost all possible azimuths. Effective source relocation essentially depends on the geometry, relativity to the scatters, etc. of the sensing array. Generally, adding another single sensor relatively far away from the main array will not improve the results. It is practically useful and achievable to have a sensor array mounted on the outside of a single building, and in these cases successful source relocations were obtained. As stated by the fundamental TR theory, increasing the number of scatters, here, increasing the number of buildings will definitely be helpful to increase the effectiveness of TR source relocation.

THE POTENTIAL FOR GREEN ROOFS IN SUSTAINABLE URBAN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. M. Davis ◽  
A. C. Tapia
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Water Runoff ◽  
Urban Drainage ◽  
Drainage Systems ◽  
Peak Loads ◽  
Urban Drainage Systems ◽  
Surface Water Runoff

Urban environments tend to lack the capacity to absorb water from precipitation. This is due to vegetated surfaces being replaced by impermeable ones, such as concrete, bitumen or similar. As a result problems can occur, where a period of heavy rainfall coincides with sudden increases in surface water runoff. This in turn can lead to a city’s sewerage system becoming overloaded. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), are recognized worldwide as a successful manner by which to mitigate this phenomenon. One of the principal components of SUDS are permeable areas in an urban setting, which have the ability to absorb and retain rainfall that would otherwise flow as surface runoff. To date there has been little research into what the effect of a massive increase in green roofs would have for cities in Ecuador. As a developing country, it is not uncommon for cities’ sewerage systems to suffer collapse when faced with sudden rainfall peak loads. It is suggested in this paper, that instead of looking to implement costly sewerage expansion programs, it would be more cost effective to implement city scale green roof systems. The paper sets out to quantify the theoretical effect of such an initiative.

scholarly journals The BErkeley Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> Observation Network: initial evaluation

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (21) ◽  
pp. 13449-13463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis A. Shusterman ◽  
Virginia E. Teige ◽  
Alexander J. Turner ◽  
Catherine Newman ◽  
Jinsol Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Spatial Density ◽  
World Population ◽  
Observation Network

Abstract. With the majority of the world population residing in urban areas, attempts to monitor and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions must necessarily center on cities. However, existing carbon dioxide observation networks are ill-equipped to resolve the specific intra-city emission phenomena targeted by regulation. Here we describe the design and implementation of the BErkeley Atmospheric CO2 Observation Network (BEACO2N), a distributed CO2 monitoring instrument that utilizes low-cost technology to achieve unprecedented spatial density throughout and around the city of Oakland, California. We characterize the network in terms of four performance parameters – cost, reliability, precision, and systematic uncertainty – and find the BEACO2N approach to be sufficiently cost-effective and reliable while nonetheless providing high-quality atmospheric observations. First results from the initial installation successfully capture hourly, daily, and seasonal CO2 signals relevant to urban environments on spatial scales that cannot be accurately represented by atmospheric transport models alone, demonstrating the utility of high-resolution surface networks in urban greenhouse gas monitoring efforts.

ASSESSMENT OF THE PLATELET COUNT IN THE PREGNANT WOMEN IN IGIMS, PATNA, BIHAR

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanwi Singh ◽  
Anshuman Sinha
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Count ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Screening Test ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Platelet Indices ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Low Platelet Count ◽  
Severity Of The Disease

The major risk associated with low platelet count in pregnancy is the increased risk of bleeding during the childbirth or post that. There is an increased blood supply to the uterus during pregnancy and the surgical procedure requires cutting of major blood vessels. Women with thrombocytopenia are at increased risk of losing excessive blood. The risk is more in case of caesarean delivery as compared to vaginal delivery. Hence based on above findings the present study was planned for Assessment of the Platelet Count in the Pregnant Women in IGIMS, Patna, Bihar. The present study was planned in Department of Pathology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science, Patna, Bihar, India. The present study was planned from duration of January 2019 to June 2019. In the present study 200 pregnant females samples received for the platelet estimation were enrolled in the present study. Clinically platelet indices can be a useful screening test for early identification of preeclampsia and eclampsia. Also platelet indices can assess the prognosis of this disease in pregnant women and can be used as an effective prognostic marker because it correlates with severity of the disease. Platelet count is a simple, low cost, and rapid routine screening test. Hence the data generated from the present study concludes that platelet count can be used as a simple and cost effective tool to monitor the progression of preeclampsia, thereby preventing complications to develop during the gestational period. Keywords: Platelet Count, Pregnant Women, IGIMS, Patna, Bihar, etc.

Janus – A New Approach to Air Combat Pilot Training

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (4) ◽  
pp. 7-22
Author(s):  
Georges Bridel ◽  
Zdobyslaw Goraj ◽  
Lukasz Kiszkowiak ◽  
Jean-Georges Brévot ◽  
Jean-Pierre Devaux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Training System ◽  
Embedded Sensors ◽  
Pilot Training ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Combat Aircraft ◽  
Air Combat ◽  
The Cost

Abstract Advanced jet training still relies on old concepts and solutions that are no longer efficient when considering the current and forthcoming changes in air combat. The cost of those old solutions to develop and maintain combat pilot skills are important, adding even more constraints to the training limitations. The requirement of having a trainer aircraft able to perform also light combat aircraft operational mission is adding unnecessary complexity and cost without any real operational advantages to air combat mission training. Thanks to emerging technologies, the JANUS project will study the feasibility of a brand-new concept of agile manoeuvrable training aircraft and an integrated training system, able to provide a live, virtual and constructive environment. The JANUS concept is based on a lightweight, low-cost, high energy aircraft associated to a ground based Integrated Training System providing simulated and emulated signals, simulated and real opponents, combined with real-time feedback on pilot’s physiological characteristics: traditionally embedded sensors are replaced with emulated signals, simulated opponents are proposed to the pilot, enabling out of sight engagement. JANUS is also providing new cost effective and more realistic solutions for “Red air aircraft” missions, organised in so-called “Aggressor Squadrons”.

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