Behzad Bayat, Julita Bermejo-Alonso, Joel Carbonera, Tullio Facchinetti, Sandro Fiorini, Paulo Goncalves, Vitor A.M. Jorge, Maki Habib, Alaa Khamis, Kamilo Melo, Bao Nguyen, Joanna Isabelle Olszewska, Liam Paull, Edson Prestes, Veera Ragavan, Sajad Saeedi, Ricardo Sanz, Mae Seto, Bruce Spencer, Amirkhosro Vosughi and Howard Li
IEEE Ontologies for Robotics and Automation Working Group were divided into subgroups that were in charge of studying industrial robotics, service robotics and autonomous…
Abstract
Purpose
IEEE Ontologies for Robotics and Automation Working Group were divided into subgroups that were in charge of studying industrial robotics, service robotics and autonomous robotics. This paper aims to present the work in-progress developed by the autonomous robotics (AuR) subgroup. This group aims to extend the core ontology for robotics and automation to represent more specific concepts and axioms that are commonly used in autonomous robots.
Design/methodology/approach
For autonomous robots, various concepts for aerial robots, underwater robots and ground robots are described. Components of an autonomous system are defined, such as robotic platforms, actuators, sensors, control, state estimation, path planning, perception and decision-making.
Findings
AuR has identified the core concepts and domains needed to create an ontology for autonomous robots.
Practical implications
AuR targets to create a standard ontology to represent the knowledge and reasoning needed to create autonomous systems that comprise robots that can operate in the air, ground and underwater environments. The concepts in the developed ontology will endow a robot with autonomy, that is, endow robots with the ability to perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous explicit human guidance.
Originality/value
Creating a standard for knowledge representation and reasoning in autonomous robotics will have a significant impact on all R&A domains, such as on the knowledge transmission among agents, including autonomous robots and humans. This tends to facilitate the communication among them and also provide reasoning capabilities involving the knowledge of all elements using the ontology. This will result in improved autonomy of autonomous systems. The autonomy will have considerable impact on how robots interact with humans. As a result, the use of robots will further benefit our society. Many tedious tasks that currently can only be performed by humans will be performed by robots, which will further improve the quality of life. To the best of the authors’knowledge, AuR is the first group that adopts a systematic approach to develop ontologies consisting of specific concepts and axioms that are commonly used in autonomous robots.
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Sajad Saeedi, Carl Thibault, Michael Trentini and Howard Li
The purpose of this paper is to present a localization and mapping data set acquired by a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The data set was collected for educational and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a localization and mapping data set acquired by a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The data set was collected for educational and research purposes: to save time in dealing with hardware and to compare the results with a benchmark data set. The data were collected in standard Robot Operating System (ROS) format. The environment, fixed-wing, and sensor configuration are explained in detail. GPS coordinates of the fixed-wing are also available as ground truth. The data set is available for download (www.ece.unb.ca/COBRA/open_source.htm).
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected in standard ROS format. The environment, fixed-wing, and sensor configuration are explained in detail.
Findings
The data set can be used for target localization and mapping. The data were collected to assist algorithm developments and help researchers to compare their results. Robotic data sets are specifically important when they are related to unmanned systems such as fixed-wing aircraft.
Originality/value
The Robotics Data Set Repository (RADISH) by A. Howard and N. Roy hosts 41 well-known data sets with different sensors; however, there is no fixed-wing data set in RADISH. This work presents two data sets collected by a fixed-wing aircraft using ROS standards. The data sets can be used for target localization and SLAM.
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Jessica R. Braunstein and James J. Zhang
The purpose of this study was to examine the dimensions of athletic star power associated with Generation Y sports consumption. Multivariate analyses revealed that athletic star…
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the dimensions of athletic star power associated with Generation Y sports consumption. Multivariate analyses revealed that athletic star power factors (Professional Trustworthiness, Likeable Personality, Athletic Expertise, Social Attractiveness and Characteristic Style) were positively (p < .05) predictive of the sport consumption factors (Event Consumption and Merchandise Consumption).
Norm O'Reilly, Gashaw Abeza, Andy Fodor, Eric MacIntosh, John Nadeau, Lane MacAdam, Gary Pasqualicchio, Mark Dottori and Heather Jane Lawrence
The criticisms put forward against economic impact studies lead to a key question: “Is it possible to measure the impact of sporting properties and events in a holistic…
Abstract
Purpose
The criticisms put forward against economic impact studies lead to a key question: “Is it possible to measure the impact of sporting properties and events in a holistic, conservative, and reliable way?” This research endeavors to build on the academic literature to add to the scope and rigor of economic impact research by proposing an impact assessment process model for practitioners that facilitates employment of a holistic, conservative and reliable impact study and seeks to address these concerns.
Design/methodology/approach
Using seven identified key realities that highlight the challenges facing impact studies, and adopting a collaborative self-ethnographic methodological approach, the work highlights lessons learned from four empirical economic impact studies undertaken by the authors over a five-year period.
Findings
The study provides a broad view of impact studies, which extend beyond financial implications and provides a more inclusive methodology. Particularly, the proposed impact assessment process model seeks to improve the credibility of impact studies by facilitating a holistic approach that incorporates direct, indirect and intangible impacts.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed model has value to researchers and is designed to improve the overall credibility of economic impact methodology. It also provides a more accurate measure of direct impact while considering intangible and indirect impacts, including social/community impacts.
Practical implications
The proposed model has value to and practitioners and is designed to improve the overall credibility of economic impact methodology. It also provides a more accurate measure of direct impact while considering intangible and indirect impacts, including social/community impacts.
Originality/value
The proposed process model to measure the impact of a sports event is a needed element in the world of funding, managing and implementing events of all sizes.
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The use of plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin or SafeAssign has become common in higher education. While frequently used to catch plagiarism, some institutions have…
Abstract
The use of plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin or SafeAssign has become common in higher education. While frequently used to catch plagiarism, some institutions have used it as a learning tool to help students better understand plagiarism and the conventions of academic writing. In an international branch campus in the Middle East, a survey was given to undergraduate students, primarily second language students, on the use of Turnitin to help with their writing. Most participants found that the software helped them improve their paraphrasing skills, understand the use of citations, avoid plagiarism and, to a lesser extent, improve their language skills.
أﺻﺑ ﺢ ا ﺳﺗ ﺧدام ﺑ رﻧﺎﻣﺞ اﻟﻛﺷ ف ﻋن ا ﻻﻧﺗ ﺣﺎ ل ﻣﺛ ل Turnitin أو SafeAssign ﺷ ﺎ ﺋ ﻌًﺎ ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ ﯾ م ا ﻟ ﻌ ﺎ ﻟ ﻲ . ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﻟ ر ﻏ م ﻣ ن ا ﺳ ﺗ ﺧ د ا ﻣ ﮭ ﺎ ﺑ ﺷ ﻛ ل ﻣﺗ ﻛرر ﻟﻠﻘﺑ ض ﻋﻠ ﻰ ا ﻻﻧﺗ ﺣﺎ ل ، ﻓﻘد ا ﺳﺗ ﺧدﻣﺗ ﮫ ﺑ ﻌ ض اﻟ ﻣؤﺳﺳﺎ ت ﻛﺄداة ﺗ ﻌﻠﯾ ﻣﯾ ﺔ ﻟ ﻣ ﺳﺎ ﻋدة اﻟ طﻼب ﻋﻠ ﻰ ﻓ ﮭم ا ﻻﻧﺗ ﺣﺎ ل ﺑ ﺷﻛل أﻓ ﺿ ل واﺗﻔﺎ ﻗﯾﺎ ت اﻟﻛﺗﺎﺑ ﺔ ا ﻷ ﻛﺎدﯾ ﻣﯾ ﺔ. ﻓ ﻲ ﺣ ر م ﻓ ر ع دو ﻟ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ اﻟﺷ ر ق ا ﻷ و ﺳ ط ، ﺗم إ ﺟ ر ا ء د ر ا ﺳ ﺔ ا ﺳ ﺗﻘ ﺻ ﺎﺋﯾ ﺔ ﻟ ط ﻼ ب اﻟﻣر ﺣ ﻠ ﺔ اﻟﺟ ﺎ ﻣﻌﯾ ﺔ ، و ﺧ ﺎ ﺻ ﺔ ط ﻼ ب اﻟﻠ ﻐﺔ اﻟ ﺛﺎﻧﯾ ﺔ ، ﺣ و ل ا ﺳ ﺗ ﺧ دا م Turnitin ﻟﻠﻣ ﺳ ﺎ ﻋ دة ﻓ ﻲ ﻛﺗﺎﺑﺎﺗ ﮭم. و ﺟ د ﻣﻌ ظ م اﻟﻣ ﺷ ﺎ ر ﻛﯾ ن أ ن اﻟ ﺑ ر ﻧﺎ ﻣ ﺞ ﺳ ﺎ ﻋ دھ م ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﺗ ﺣ ﺳ ﯾ ن ﻣﮭﺎ ر ا ت إ ﻋ ﺎدة اﻟ ﺻ ﯾﺎ ﻏ ﺔ وﻓ ﮭم ا ﺳﺗ ﺧدام ا ﻻﺳﺗ ﺷﮭﺎدا ت وﺗ ﺟﻧ ب ا ﻻﻧﺗ ﺣﺎ ل وﺗ ﺣﺳﯾ ن ﻣﮭﺎ راﺗ ﮭم اﻟﻠ ﻐوﯾﺔ إﻟ ﻰ ﺣد أﻗ ل.
This chapter examines how the pandemic altered exposure to online hate. We investigate if the pandemic affected previously observed patterns of exposure to online hate in Finland…
Abstract
This chapter examines how the pandemic altered exposure to online hate. We investigate if the pandemic affected previously observed patterns of exposure to online hate in Finland and the United States. We ask, did online hate become more prevalent as the pandemic unfolded and became increasingly politicized? It is important to consider online hate exposure in the early stages of the pandemic because the pandemic fanned the flames of hate. This increase in hate can then lead to fewer people complying with recommended health-protective behaviors and increases in hate crimes, which would increase the overall toll of the pandemic. Thus, this chapter explores if the landscape of online hate in the United States and Finland changed in the initial stages of COVID-19. Initially, rates of exposure were higher in Finland than in the United States, and, as predicted, rates of exposure increased between April and November 2020. However, this increase was observed only in the United States. The increase in exposure in the United States combined with the stability in exposure in Finland resulted in the country differences that were observed in April disappearing by November. The chapter concludes by exploring the likely role of the political leaders of the two nations played in this pattern of online hate exposure. Specifically, President Trump’s use of racialized descriptions of the pandemic are contrast to Prime Minister Marion’s more scientific descriptions to demonstrate how policy rhetoric can encourage or discourage online hate.
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James Hawdon and Donna Sedgwick
This chapter weaves the finding from the previous chapters together to explain how perceptions of and responses to a pandemic are not static but change over the course of the…
Abstract
This chapter weaves the finding from the previous chapters together to explain how perceptions of and responses to a pandemic are not static but change over the course of the pandemic and in between the governance and social welfare structures of the nations they affect. We consider the cross-national differences in outcomes and relate these to a variety of strategies used to curb the pandemic’s spread. We then conduct a series of analyses that examine our underlying arguments using data collected in November 2023, approximately 6 months after the pandemic was declared to be over. We find that compliance with health-protective recommendations is correlated with positive health outcomes. Specifically, we investigate how compliance correlates with the number of times an individual became ill with COVID-19. We then use variables discussed throughout the book to investigate how these factors correlate with complying with protective health measures, including being vaccinated and wearing face coverings during the pandemic. We find that collaborative factors are good predictors of compliance with health-protective recommendations. We then investigate how factors such as planned behavioral changes to mitigate the pandemic’s effect, attitudes toward government spending, media consumption, political party, and exposure to hate materials relate to the compliance factors. Ultimately, we demonstrate how the behavior of elites and the perceptions and attitudes of citizens during the initial stages of the pandemic shaped the pandemic’s long-term consequences. The chapter concludes by summarizing the findings from the previous chapters to set the stage for the concluding chapter.
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Wei Xue, Rencheng Zheng, Bo Yang, Zheng Wang, Tsutomu Kaizuka and Kimihiko Nakano
Automated driving systems (ADSs) are being developed to avoid human error and improve driving safety. However, limited focus has been given to the fallback behavior of automated…
Abstract
Purpose
Automated driving systems (ADSs) are being developed to avoid human error and improve driving safety. However, limited focus has been given to the fallback behavior of automated vehicles, which act as a fail-safe mechanism to deal with safety issues resulting from sensor failure. Therefore, this study aims to establish a fallback control approach aimed at driving an automated vehicle to a safe parking lane under perceptive sensor malfunction.
Design/methodology/approach
Owing to an undetected area resulting from a front sensor malfunction, the proposed ADS first creates virtual vehicles to replace existing vehicles in the undetected area. Afterward, the virtual vehicles are assumed to perform the most hazardous driving behavior toward the host vehicle; an adaptive model predictive control algorithm is then presented to optimize the control task during the fallback procedure, avoiding potential collisions with surrounding vehicles. This fallback approach was tested in typical cases related to car-following and lane changes.
Findings
It is confirmed that the host vehicle avoid collision with the surrounding vehicles during the fallback procedure, revealing that the proposed method is effective for the test scenarios.
Originality/value
This study presents a model for the path-planning problem regarding an automated vehicle under perceptive sensor failure, and it proposes an original path-planning approach based on virtual vehicle scheme to improve the safety of an automated vehicle during a fallback procedure. This proposal gives a different view on the fallback safety problem from the normal strategy, in which the mode is switched to manual if a driver is available or the vehicle is instantly stopped.
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Man has been seeking an ideal existence for a very long time. In this existence, justice, love, and peace are no longer words, but actual experiences. How ever, with the American…
Abstract
Man has been seeking an ideal existence for a very long time. In this existence, justice, love, and peace are no longer words, but actual experiences. How ever, with the American preemptive invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq and the subsequent prisoner abuse, such an existence seems to be farther and farther away from reality. The purpose of this work is to stop this dangerous trend by promoting justice, love, and peace through a change of the paradigm that is inconsistent with justice, love, and peace. The strong paradigm that created the strong nation like the U.S. and the strong man like George W. Bush have been the culprit, rather than the contributor, of the above three universal ideals. Thus, rather than justice, love, and peace, the strong paradigm resulted in in justice, hatred, and violence. In order to remove these three and related evils, what the world needs in the beginning of the third millenium is the weak paradigm. Through the acceptance of the latter paradigm, the golden mean or middle paradigm can be formulated, which is a synergy of the weak and the strong paradigm. In order to understand properly the meaning of these paradigms, however, some digression appears necessary.