simulated environment
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2022 ◽  
pp. 096100062110677
Author(s):  
Amy G. Buhler ◽  
Brittany Brannon ◽  
Tara Tobin Cataldo ◽  
Ixchel M. Faniel ◽  
Lynn Silipigni Connaway ◽  
...  

A challenge of studying information-seeking behavior in open web systems is the unpredictability of those systems. One solution to counteract this issue is employing a simulation to ensure experimental control. However, concerns arise over the realism of such an environment. This paper assesses the realism of a behavioral simulation used to study the evaluation behavior of 175 students from fourth grade through graduate school. We assess realism through the examination of targeted participant feedback about what would have made the simulated environment and tasks more realistic to these participants. Based on this feedback, we reflect on decisions made in designing the simulation and offer recommendations for future studies interested in incorporating behavioral simulation in their research design. We find that a thoughtfully designed simulation can elicit naturalistic behavior when the controlled environment is designed to be realistic in meaningful ways. Because the simulation does not have to perfectly match reality to elicit these behaviors, designing a simulation that is real enough is an effective method to study information-seeking behavior.


Technologies ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Christos Sevastopoulos ◽  
Stasinos Konstantopoulos ◽  
Keshav Balaji ◽  
Mohammad Zaki Zadeh ◽  
Fillia Makedon

Training on simulation data has proven invaluable in applying machine learning in robotics. However, when looking at robot vision in particular, simulated images cannot be directly used no matter how realistic the image rendering is, as many physical parameters (temperature, humidity, wear-and-tear in time) vary and affect texture and lighting in ways that cannot be encoded in the simulation. In this article we propose a different approach for extracting value from simulated environments: although neither of the trained models can be used nor are any evaluation scores expected to be the same on simulated and physical data, the conclusions drawn from simulated experiments might be valid. If this is the case, then simulated environments can be used in early-stage experimentation with different network architectures and features. This will expedite the early development phase before moving to (harder to conduct) physical experiments in order to evaluate the most promising approaches. In order to test this idea we created two simulated environments for the Unity engine, acquired simulated visual datasets, and used them to reproduce experiments originally carried out in a physical environment. The comparison of the conclusions drawn in the physical and the simulated experiments is promising regarding the validity of our approach.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 437
Author(s):  
Wajeeha Mahmood ◽  
Asad-ur-Rehman Khan ◽  
Tehmina Ayub

This research aims to examine the effect of carbonation on the strength properties and carbonation depth of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete using two different water to cement ratios (w/c) and two different replacement percentages of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) with recycled coarse aggregate (RCA). Two concrete mixes were prepared using w/c of 0.4 and 0.43. The two concrete mixes were subdivided into two subgroups based on the use of NCA and 30% RCA. The first concrete mix having w/c of 0.4 was contained NCA and from this concrete, 42 cylinders of 100 mm dia. and 200 mm height were cast. Six out of 42 cylinders served as control specimens and were not exposed to CO2. A total of 18 out of the remaining 36 cylinders was exposed to the simulated environment and the rest were exposed to the natural environment. The second concrete mix having a w/c of 0.4 contained 30% RCA/70% NCA, and using this concrete, 42 cylinders of similar size were cast. A similar scheme was adopted for w/c of 0.43 and, in total, 84 cylinders using four mix designs were cast. After casting and 28 days of curing, six out of 42 cylinders cast from each concrete mix design were tested for compression and splitting tensile strength, following ASTM C39 and ASTM C496 without any exposure to carbon dioxide (CO2). A total of 18 out of the remaining 36 cylinders was exposed to the simulated environment in a carbonation chamber for an equivalent time duration of 90, 180 and 365 days following CEN test guidelines and the other 18 cylinders were kept in the natural environment for a period of 90, 180 and 365 days. After the completion of simulated and natural exposure periods, these cylinders were distributed equally to test for compressive strength and splitting tensile strength to observe the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) at each time duration (i.e., 90, 180 and 365 days), and replacement percentage of RCA (i.e., 0 and 30%), which showed that carbonation depth increases incrementally with the w/c ratio and CO2 exposure duration. In both the simulated and the natural environment, the use of RCA in concrete cast using a w/c of 0.4 increased carbonation depth up to 38% and 46%, whereas, in the case of the concrete cast using a w/c ratio of 0.43, the use of RCA increased the carbonation depth up to 16% and 25%. In general, the use of RCA in the concrete exposed to the natural environment significantly affected the compressive strength of concrete, due to multiple interfaces and the porous structure of RCA, and the variation in the temperature, humidity and content of carbon dioxide (CO2) present in the actual environment. The maximum compressive strength variation prepared from the mixes M0-0.4, M30-0.43, M0-0.43 and M30-0.43 differed by 5.88%, 7.69%, 16.67% and 20% for an exposure period up to 365 days. Similarly, the results of splitting tensile strength tests on cylinders prepared from the same mixes exposed to the natural environment differ by 7.4%, 27.6%, 25.41% and 18.2% up to 365 days of exposure, respectively, as compared to the simulated environment.


Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Andres El-Fakdi ◽  
Josep Lluis de la Rosa

Digital preservation is a field of research focused on designing strategies for maintaining digital objects accessible for general use in the coming years. Out of the many approaches to digital preservation, the present research article is a continuation work of a previously published article containing a proposal for a novel object-centered paradigm to address the digital preservation problem where digital objects share part of the responsibility for self-preservation. In the new framework, the behavior of digital objects is modeled to find the best preservation strategy. The results presented in the current article add a new economic constraint to the object behavior. Now, differently from the previous paper, migrations, copies and updates are not free to use, but subject to budget limitations to ensure the economic sustainability of the whole preservation system, forcing the now-called cost-aware digital objects for efficient management of available budget. The presented approach compares two auction-based mechanisms, a multi-unit auction and a combinatorial auction, with a simple direct purchase strategy as possible efficient behaviors for budget management. TiM, a simulated environment for running distributed digital ecosystems, is used to perform the experiments. The simulated results map the relation between the studied purchase models with the sustained quality level of digital objects, as a measure of its accessibility, together with its budget management capabilities. About the results, the best performance corresponds to the combinatorial auction model. The results are a good approach to deal with the digital preservation problem from a sustainable point of view and open the door to future implementations with other purchase strategies.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Jacob Schurkman ◽  
Christine Dodge ◽  
Rory Mc Donnell ◽  
Irma Tandingan De Ley ◽  
Adler R. Dillman

The grey field slug, Deroceras reticulatum, is an agricultural pest causing damage to a wide variety of crops each year. The nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita has been shown to effectively kill this slug in field-simulated conditions, leading to its widespread use as a biological control agent in Europe. However, recently discovered isolates of Phasmarhabditis from California have not been tested in a field-simulated environment. The lethality of three local isolates of Phasmarhabditis (P. hermaphrodita, P. californica, & P. papillosa) as well as the molluscicide Sluggo Plus® was assessed on D. reticulatum in a lath house. Remaining leaf area on Canna lilies and slug mortality were recorded after 3 weeks of exposure to treatments. Local isolates efficiently killed D. reticulatum and protection from leaf damage was attained by treatment with P. papillosa. Further experimentation is required to assess plant protection afforded by Phasmarhabditis as plants in some trials may have been in poor health. The three tested Phasmarhabditis isolates are reasonable candidates for biological control within the United States but additional information, particularly on the lethality to non-target gastropods, is needed before an informed decision on their use can be made.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Cecilia Scoccia ◽  
Luca Carbonari ◽  
Giacomo Palmieri ◽  
Massimo Callegari ◽  
Marco Rossi ◽  
...  

Abstract The use of glass elements in civil engineering is spreading in the last years beyond merely aesthetic functions for their ease of installation and production. Nonetheless, the structural performance of such materials in any condition of use is object of investigation. In this scenario, the paper analyses the performance of an innovative concept of tensegrity floor (Patent no 0001426973) characterized by a particular steel-glass adhesive junction that permits a profitable structural cooperation between such basically different materials. As known, at the base of the effectiveness of tensegrity structures lies the correct tensioning of metal strands which are devoted at keeping the rigid elements compressed. The tensioning level is then responsible of the actual deformation of the structure, which is of course of uttermost importance while speaking of civil applications. To address this issue with the adequate level of confidence required by construction practice, a mechatronic servo-system is proposed, aimed at maintaining, and modifying when needed, the stress state of the metal cables to adjust the deformation of the upper plane in response to varying loads. Three different actuation schemes, with different levels of realization complexity, are analysed and compared in simulated environment by means of a hybrid multibody-finite elements model.


Author(s):  
Harish K. Kunjwani ◽  
Dinesh M. Sakarkar

The aim of this work was to formulate a novel multiparticulate system having pH sensitive property and specific enzyme biodegradability for colon specific drug delivery of Prednisolone (PD). Natural polysaccharide, Tamarind gum is used for microsphere preparation and Eudratit S- 100 for coating to provide pH controlled drug release. The formulation aims at minimal degradation and optimum delivery of the drug with relatively higher local concentration, which may provide more effective therapy for inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis. Tamarind gum microspheres were prepared by emulsion dehydration technique using polymer in ratio of 1:1 to 1: 9. These microspheres were coated with Eudragit S-100 by oil in oil solvent evaporation method using core: coat ration (5:1). Tamarind gum microspheres and Eudragit coated tamarind gum microspheres were evaluated for surface morphology, particle size and size distribution, percentage drug entrapment, surface accumulation studies, in vitro drug release in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. The effect of various formulation variables were studied the prepared microspheres were spherical in shape in the size range of 64 µm to 113 µm, the encapsulation efficiency was in range of 30-72% depending upon the concentration of gum. The drug release was about 14-20% in first four hours of study gradually rises in 5th hour and 85% drug release occurs in 10-12% hr thus showing desirable drug release in the colonic simulated environment. PD tamarind gum microspheres are thought to have the potential to maintain drug concentration within target ranges for a long time, decreasing the side effects caused by concentration fluctuation, ensuring the efficiency of treatment and improving patient compliance by reducing dosing frequency. The animal study done using acetic acid induced colitis model on rats also suggest the anti inflammatory activity of the formulation.


Robotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Yusuke Takayama ◽  
Photchara Ratsamee ◽  
Tomohiro Mashita

Recently, several deep-learning based navigation methods have been achieved because of a high quality dataset collected from high-quality simulated environments. However, the cost of creating high-quality simulated environments is high. In this paper, we present a concept of the reduced simulation, which can serve as a simplified version of a simulated environment yet be efficient enough for training deep-learning based UAV collision avoidance approaches. Our approach deals with the reality gap between a reduced simulation dataset and real world dataset and can provide a clear guideline for reduced simulation design. Our experimental result confirmed that the reduction in visual features provided by textures and lighting does not affect operating performance with the user study. Moreover, by conducting collision detection experiments, we verified that our reduced simulation outperforms the conventional cost-effective simulations in adaptation capability with respect to realistic simulation and real-world scenario.


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