行人惯性导航零速检测算法

在行人惯性导航中,零速检测是实现速度误差清零和导航误差估计的前提,有着重要的作用.针对行人运动过程中零速区间时间间隔短难以检测的问题,提出了一种基于人体脚部运动特征的零速检测算法,将步行运动抽象成了一个包含4个隐含状态与15个观测量的隐马尔可夫模型,并阐述了模型构建机理.利用Baum-Welch算法训练和优化模型参数,提高了检测准确率.实验结果表明:所提出的方法零速检测效果较好,且采用该方法的行人惯性导航系统,其定位误差约为行进距离的0.73％,定位精度较高.     

遥感卫星图像自动导航方法研究

遥感卫星图像自动导航方法用来自动地确定遥感卫星图像中每一个像素的地理经纬度,目前已经在气象、海洋、资源、环境、军事等领域得到了广泛应用,并且产生了巨大的社会和经济效益。介绍了一种新的基于最大相关系数的遥感卫星图像自动导航方法。首先给出了问题的描述;其次介绍了图像自动导航数据流程;然后设计并实现了一种新的基于最大相关系数的自动图像导航方法,它是整个遥感卫星自动导航的关键部分;最后给出了实例,验证了方法的可行性以及高精度。     

行人导航系统中航迹推算参数估计方法的研究

将GPS/DR组合导航技术应用到行人导航系统中。利用加速度计对行人步态进行判别,将神经网络用于行人步幅信息的标定。同时利用电子罗盘实现方位角的测量,并结合加速度计信息进行倾斜角度的误差补偿。现场测试结果表明,本文提出的DR参数估计方法不但提高参数估计的精度,而且能够满足行人导航定位的要求。     

Application of Heuristic Asymmetric Mapping for mobile robot navigation using ultrasonic sensors

In this paper, an experimental study of a navigation system that allows a mobile robot to travel in an environment about which it has no prior knowledge is described. Data from multiple ultrasonic range sensors are fused into a representation called Heuristic Asymmetric Mapping to deal with the problem of uncertainties in the raw sensory data caused mainly by the transducer's beam-opening angle and specular reflections. It features a fast data-refresh rate to handle a dynamic environment. Potential-field method is used for on-line path planning based on the constructed gridtype sonar map. The mobile robot can therefore learn to find a safe path according to its self-built sonar map. To solve the problem of local minima in conventional potential field method, a new type of potential function is formulated. This new method is simple and fast in execution using the concept from distance-transform path-finding algorithms. The developed navigation system has been tested on our experimental mobile robot to demonstrate its possible application in practical situations. Several interesting simulation and experimental results are presented.This work was supported partly by the National Science Council of Taiwan, ROC under the grant NSC-82-0422-E-009-321.     

A novel multiplex cascade classifier for pedestrian detection

Reliable pedestrian detection is of great importance in visual surveillance. In this paper, we propose a novel multiplex classifier model, which is composed of two multiplex cascades parts: Haar-like cascade classifier and shapelet cascade classifier. The Haar-like cascade classifier filters out most of irrelevant image background, while the shapelet cascade classifier detects intensively head-shoulder features. The weighted linear regression model is introduced to train its weak classifiers. We also introduce a structure table to label the foreground pixels by means of background differences. The experimental results illustrate that our classifier model provides satisfying detection accuracy. In particular, our detection approach can also perform well for low resolution and relatively complicated backgrounds.     

Obstacle avoidance algorithm for visual navigation using ultrasonic sensors and a CCD camera

An obstacle-avoidance algorithm is presented for autonomous mobile robots equipped with a CCD camera and ultrasonic sensors. This approach uses segmentation techniques to segregate the floor from other fixtures, and measurement techniques to measure the distance between the mobile robot and any obstacles. It uses a simple computation for the selection of a threshold value. This approach also uses a cost function, which is combined with image information, distance information, and a weight factor, to find an obstacle-free path. This algorithm, which uses a CCD camera and ultrasonic sensors, can be used for cases including shadow regions, and obstacles in visual navigation and in various lighting conditions. This work was presented in part at the 7th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 16–18, 2002     

A framework for predicting endemic cholera using satellite derived environmental determinants

Cholera remains one of the most prevalent water-related infections in many tropical regions of the world. Macro-environmental processes provide a natural ecological niche for Vibrio cholerae and because powerful evidence of new biotypes is emerging, it is unlikely that the bacteria will be fully eradicated. Consequently, to develop effective intervention and mitigation strategies, it is necessary to develop cholera prediction models with several months' lead time. Almost all cholera outbreaks originate near the coastal areas and cholera bacteria exhibit a strong relationship with coastal plankton. Using chlorophyll as a surrogate for plankton bloom in coastal areas, recent studies have postulated a relationship between chlorophyll and cholera incidence. Here, we show that seasonal cholera outbreaks in the Bengal Delta can be predicted two to three months in advance with an overall prediction accuracy of over 75% by using satellite-derived chlorophyll and air temperature data. Such high prediction accuracy is achievable because the two seasonal peaks of cholera are predicted using two separate models representing distinctive macro-scale environmental processes. We have shown that interannual variability of pre-monsoon cholera outbreaks can be satisfactorily explained with coastal plankton blooms and a cascade of hydro-coastal processes. Post-monsoon cholera outbreaks, on the other hand, are related to macro-scale monsoon processes and subsequent breakdown of sanitary conditions. Our results demonstrate that satellite data over a range of space and time scales are effective in developing a cholera prediction model for the Bengal Delta with several months' lead time. We anticipate our modeling framework and findings will provide the impetus to explore the utility of satellite derived macro-scale variables for cholera prediction in other cholera endemic regions.     

A purely reactive navigation scheme for dynamic environments using Case-Based Reasoning

This paper presents a new sonar based purely reactive navigation technique for mobile platforms. The method relies on Case-Based Reasoning to adapt itself to any robot and environment through learning, both by observation and self experience. Thus, unlike in other reactive techniques, kinematics or dynamics do not need to be explicitly taken into account. Also, learning from different sources allows combination of their advantages into a safe and smooth path to the goal. The method has been succesfully implemented on a Pioneer robot wielding 8 Polaroid sonar sensors. Cristina Urdiales is a Lecturer at the Department of Tecnología Electrónica (DTE) of the University of Málaga (UMA). She received a MSc degree in Telecommunication Engineering at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and her Ph.D. degree at University of Málaga (UMA). Her research is focused on robotics and computer vision. E.J. Pérez was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1974. He received his title of Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Málaga, Spain, in 1999. During 1999 he worked in a research project under a grant by the Spanish CYCIT. From 2000 to the present day he has worked as Assistant Professor in the Department of Tecnología Electrónica of the University of Málaga. His research is focused on robotics and artificial vision. Javier Vázquez-Salceda is an Associate Researcher of the Artificial Intelligence Section of the Software Department (LSI), at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC). Javier obtained an MSc degree in Computer Science at UPC. After his master studies he became research assistant in the KEMLg Group at UPC. In 2003 he presented his Ph.D. dissertation (with honours), which has been awarded with the 2003 ECCAI Artificial Intelligence Dissertation Award. The dissertation has been also recently published as a book by Birkhauser-Verlag. From 2003 to 2005 he was researcher in the Intelligent Systems Group at Utrecht University. Currently he is again member of the KEMLg Group at UPC. His research is focused on theoretical and applied issues of Normative Systems, software and physical agents' autonomy and social control, especially in distributed applications for complex domains such as eCommerce or Medicine. Miquel Sànchez-Marrè (Barcelona, 1964) received a Ph.D. in Computer Science in 1996 from the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC). He is Associate Professor in the Computer Software Department (LSI) of the UPC since 1990 (tenure 1996). He was the head of the Artificial Intelligence section of LSI (1997–2000). He is a pioneer member of International Environmental Modelling and Software Society (IEMSS) and a board member of IEMSS also, since 2000. He is a member of the Editorial Board of International Journal of Applied Intelligence, since October 2001. Since October 2004 he is Associate Editor of Environmental Modelling and Software journal. His main research topics are case-based reasoning, machine learning, knowledge acquisition and data mining, knowledge engineering, intelligent decision-support systems, and integrated AI architectures. He has an special interest on the application of AI techniques to Environmental Decision Support Systems. Francisco Sandoval was born in Spain in 1947. He received the title of Telecommunication Engineering and Ph.D. degree from the Technical University of Madrid, Spain, in 1972 and 1980, respectively. From 1972 to 1989 he was engaged in teaching and research in the fields of opto-electronics and integrated circuits in the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) as an Assistant Professor and a Lecturer successively. In 1990 he joined the University of Málaga as Full Professor in the Department of Tecnología Electrónica. He is currently involved in autonomous systems and foveal vision, application of Artificial Neural Networks to Energy Management Systems, and in Broad Band and Multimedia Communication.     

A high-resolution AUV navigation framework with integrated communication and tracking for under-ice deployments

We developed an environmentally adaptive under-ice navigation framework that was deployed in the Arctic Beaufort Sea during the United States Navy Ice Exercise in March 2020 (ICEX20). This navigation framework contained two subsystems developed from the ground up: (1) an on-board hydrodynamic model-aided navigation (HydroMAN) engine, and (2) an environmentally and acoustically adaptive integrated communication and navigation network (ICNN) that provided acoustic navigation aiding to the former. The HydroMAN synthesized measurements from an inertial navigation system (INS), ice-tracking Doppler velocity log (DVL), ICNN and pressure sensor into its self-calibrating vehicle flight dynamic model to compute the navigation solution. The ICNN system, which consisted of four ice buoys outfitted with acoustic modems, trilaterated the vehicle position using the one-way-travel-times (OWTT) of acoustic datagrams transmitted by the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and received by the ice buoy network. The ICNN digested salinity and temperature information to provide model-assisted real-time OWTT range conversion to deliver accurate acoustic navigation updates to the HydroMAN. To decouple the contributions from the HydroMAN and ICNN subsystems towards a stable navigation solution, this article evaluates them separately: (1) HydroMAN was compared against DVL bottom-track aided INS during pre-ICEX20 engineering trials where both systems provided similar accuracy; (2) ICNN was evaluated by conducting a static experiment in the Arctic where the ICNN navigation updates were compared against GPS with ICNN error within low tens of meters. The joint HydroMAN-ICNN framework was tested during ICEX20, which provided a nondiverging high-resolution navigation solution—with the majority of error below 15 m—that facilitated a successful AUV recovery through a small ice hole after an 11 km untethered run in the upper and mid-water column.     

Nonlinear regression in environmental sciences using extreme learning machines: A comparative evaluation

The extreme learning machine (ELM), a single-hidden layer feedforward neural network algorithm, was tested on nine environmental regression problems. The prediction accuracy and computational speed of the ensemble ELM were evaluated against multiple linear regression (MLR) and three nonlinear machine learning (ML) techniques – artificial neural network (ANN), support vector regression and random forest (RF). Simple automated algorithms were used to estimate the parameters (e.g. number of hidden neurons) needed for model training. Scaling the range of the random weights in ELM improved its performance. Excluding large datasets (with large number of cases and predictors), ELM tended to be the fastest among the nonlinear models. For large datasets, RF tended to be the fastest. ANN and ELM had similar skills, but ELM was much faster than ANN except for large datasets. Generally, the tested ML techniques outperformed MLR, but no single method was best for all the nine datasets.     

A simulation tool for managing environmental flows in regulated rivers

Environmental flows provide river flow regimes to restore and conserve aquatic ecosystems, creating considerably different demands compared to conventional water extraction. With increasing incorporation of environmental flows in water planning worldwide, governments require decision support tools to manage these flows in regulated rivers. We developed the Environmental Water Allocation Simulator with Hydrology (eWASH), a fast, flexible and user-friendly scenario-based hydrological modelling tool, supporting environmental flow management decisions for single- or multi-reservoir systems. Environmental flow demands and management rules are easily specified via the graphical user interface, and batch processing functions aid in uncertainty assessment. eWASH modelled main processes of complex regulated rivers and the tool is widely applicable. We calibrated eWASH for the Gwydir and Macquarie Rivers of Australia's Murray–Darling Basin. Modelled monthly environmental flow allocations exhibited Nash–Sutcliffe efficiencies of 0.55 for the Gwydir and 0.72 for the Macquarie catchments respectively when validated.     

A line feature based SLAM with low grade range sensors using geometric constraints and active exploration for mobile robot

This paper describes a geometrically constrained Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) framework for a line feature based SLAM, which is applicable to a rectangular indoor environment. Its focus is on how to handle sparse and noisy sensor data, such as PSD infrared sensors with limited range and limited number, in order to develop a low-cost navigation system. It has been applied to a vacuum cleaning robot in our research. In order to meet the real-time objective with low computing power, we develop an efficient line feature extraction algorithm based upon an iterative end point fit (IEPF) technique assisted by our constrained version of the Hough transform. It uses a geometric constraint that every line is orthogonal or parallel to each other because in a general indoor setting, most furniture and walls satisfy this constraint. By adding this constraint to the measurement model of EKF, we build a geometrically constrained EKF framework which can estimate line feature positions more accurately as well as allow their covariance matrices to converge more rapidly when compared to the case of an unconstrained EKF. The experimental results demonstrate the accuracy and robustness to the presence of sensor noise and errors in an actual indoor environment.

A framework using cluster-based hybrid network architecture for collaborative virtual surgery

Research on collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) opens the opportunity for simulating the cooperative work in surgical operations. It is however a challenging task to implement a high performance collaborative surgical simulation system because of the difficulty in maintaining state consistency with minimum network latencies, especially when sophisticated deformable models and haptics are involved. In this paper, an integrated framework using cluster-based hybrid network architecture is proposed to support collaborative virtual surgery. Multicast transmission is employed to transmit updated information among participants in order to reduce network latencies, while system consistency is maintained by an administrative server. Reliable multicast is implemented using distributed message acknowledgment based on cluster cooperation and sliding window technique. The robustness of the framework is guaranteed by the failure detection chain which enables smooth transition when participants join and leave the collaboration, including normal and involuntary leaving. Communication overhead is further reduced by implementing a number of management approaches such as computational policies and collaborative mechanisms. The feasibility of the proposed framework is demonstrated by successfully extending an existing standalone orthopedic surgery trainer into a collaborative simulation system. A series of experiments have been conducted to evaluate the system performance. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework is capable of supporting collaborative surgical simulation.     

Using artificial intelligence and data fusion for environmental monitoring: A review and future perspectives

Analyzing satellite images and remote sensing (RS) data using artificial intelligence (AI) tools and data fusion strategies has recently opened new perspectives for environmental monitoring and assessment. This is mainly due to the advancement of machine learning (ML) and data mining approaches, which facilitate extracting meaningful information at a large scale from geo-referenced and heterogeneous sources. This paper presents the first review of AI-based methodologies and data fusion strategies used for environmental monitoring, to the best of the authors’ knowledge. The first part of the article discusses the main challenges of geographical image analysis. Thereafter, a well-designed taxonomy is introduced to overview the existing frameworks, which have been focused on: (i) detecting different environmental impacts, e.g. land cover land use (LULC) change, gully erosion susceptibility (GES), waterlogging susceptibility (WLS), and land salinity and infertility (LSI); (ii) analyzing AI models deployed for extracting the pertinent features from RS images in addition to data fusion techniques used for combining images and/or features from heterogeneous sources; (iii) describing existing publicly-shared and open-access datasets; (iv) highlighting most frequent evaluation metrics; and (v) describing the most significant applications of ML and data fusion for RS image analysis. This is followed by an overview of existing works and discussions highlighting some of the challenges, limitations and shortcomings. To provide the reader with insight into real-world applications, two case studies illustrate the use of AI for classifying LULC changes and monitoring the environmental impacts due to dams’ construction, where classification accuracies of 98.57% and 97.05% have been reached, respectively. Lastly, recommendations and future directions are drawn.     

Integrating spectral indices with environmental parameters for estimating heavy metal concentrations in rice using a dynamic fuzzy neural-network model

A generalized dynamic fuzzy neural network (GDFNN) was created to estimate heavy metal concentrations in rice by integrating spectral indices and environmental parameters. Hyperspectral data, environmental parameters, and heavy metal content were collected from field experiments with different levels of heavy metal pollution (Cu and Cd). Input variables used in the GDFNN model were derived from 10 variables acquired by gray relational analysis. The assessment models for Cd and Cu concentration employed five and six input variables, respectively. The results showed that the GDFNN for estimating Cu and Cd concentrations in rice performed well at prediction with a compact network structure using the training, validation, and testing sets (for Cu, fuzzy rules=9, R² greater than 0.75, and RMSE less than 2.5; for Cd, fuzzy rules=9, R² greater than 0.75, and RMSE less than 1.0). The final GDFNN model was then compared with a back-propagation (BP) neural network model, adaptive-network-based fuzzy interference systems (ANFIS), and a regression model. The accuracies of GDFNN model prediction were usually slightly better than those of the other three models. This demonstrates that the GDFNN model is more suitable for predicting heavy metal concentrations in rice.     

A general framework for assessing system resilience using Bayesian networks: A case study of sulfuric acid manufacturer

Supply chains play an important role in modern society and national economic development. In recent years, supply chains are more susceptible to variety of disruptive events, including natural disasters, man-made attacks, and common failures due to their complexity, globalization, and interconnected structures. Hence, it is important to design resilient supply chains which are capable of withstanding and recovering rapidly from disruptive events. This paper first explores the key drivers that contribute to the design of resilient supply chains based on the notion of absorptive, adaptive and restorative capacities. Second, it introduces a generic conceptual framework comprising five key phases: threat analysis, resilience capacity design, resilience cost evaluation, resilience quantification, and resilience improvement. The primary challenge to the literature of system resilience is how to measure it qualitatively. Findings from literature indicate that many of the drivers to the system resilience are qualitative such as staff cooperation and collaboration during disruptive events, level of preparation against natural disaster, among others. To fill the gap between qualitative and quantitative assessment of resilience, we employed Bayesian network to quantify the system resilience. Bayesian network is a rigorous tool for measuring risks under uncertainty, representing dependency between causes and effects, and making special types of reasoning. Additionally, it is capable of handling both qualitative and quantitative variables in terms of probability. We implemented Bayesian network for quantifying the supply chain system resilience of sulfuric acid manufacturer in Iran. Different scenarios have been defined and implemented to identify critical variables that are susceptible to the system resilience of sulfuric acid manufacturer.     

A modeling and spatio-temporal analysis framework for monitoring environmental change using NPP as an ecosystem indicator

We present and describe a modeling and analysis framework for monitoring protected area (PA) ecosystems with net primary productivity (NPP) as an indicator of health. It brings together satellite data, an ecosystem simulation model (NASA-CASA), spatial linear models with autoregression, and a GIS to provide practitioners a low-cost, accessible ecosystem monitoring and analysis system (EMAS) at landscape resolutions. The EMAS is evaluated and assessed with an application example in Yellowstone National Park aimed at identifying the causes and consequences of drought. Utilizing five predictor covariates (solar radiation, burn severity, soil productivity, temperature, and precipitation), spatio-temporal analysis revealed how landscape controls and climate (summer vegetation moisture stress) affected patterns of NPP according to vegetation functional type, species cover type, and successional stage. These results supported regional and national trends of NPP in relation to carbon fluxes and lag effects of climate. Overall, the EMAS provides valuable decision support for PAs regarding informed land use planning, conservation programs, vital sign monitoring, control programs (fire fuels, invasives, etc.), and restoration efforts.     

RMFS-CNN：遥感图像分类深度学习新框架

现有卷积神经网络（convolutional neural network,CNN）利用卷积层和激活函数的叠加,构建复杂非线性函数拟合输入数据到输出标签的转换关系,这种端到端的学习方式严重影响了CNN特征图与先验知识的融合,导致其对训练样本数量和质量敏感,同时增加了CNN特征图可解释性难度。本文从深度学习建模方式角度出发,以遥感图像特征表达及其可解释性为切入点,搭建传统遥感图像先验知识与CNN的桥梁,分析阐述了黎曼流形特征空间（Riemannian manifold feature space,RMFS）对CNN可解释性、特征演化规律等方面的促进作用;提出融合CNN与RMFS构建RMFS-CNN遥感图像分类新框架,以RMFS为特征过渡平台,一方面利用其线性特征分布规律降低CNN对传统图像特征的学习难度,另一方面定义能够突显图像先验知识的表达范式,提高CNN对可解释性特征的学习能力,以达到利用RMFS对先验知识（特征）表达的优异性能提高CNN遥感图像分类特征利用效率的目的;以RMFS特征表达范式为基础定义控制CNN特征学习偏好的损失函数,进而发展具有良好特征解释性的CNN分类模型及可控的模型训练方法;最后指出构建RMFS-CNN分类框架的可行性及该框架对遥感图像分类和深度学习理论发展方面的理论贡献与应用价值。     

Creation of environmental health information system for public health service: A pilot study

Despite more than a decade of research on medical information systems, deficiencies exist in our capability of establishing an effective environmental health information infrastructure. In this research, we present a pilot study on creating a feasible environmental health information infrastructure. The newly-developed environmental health information system is a web-based platform that integrates databases, decision-making tools, geographic information systems for supporting public health service and policy making. The study, which is a part of a comprehensive effort known as Environmental Public Health Tracking proposed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, opens the door for future research on a large scale nation-wide healthcare information infrastructure.

VAnDroid: A framework for vulnerability analysis of Android applications using a model-driven reverse engineering technique

Android is extensively used worldwide by mobile application developers. Android provides applications with a message passing system to communicate within and between them. Due to the risks associated with this system, it is vital to detect its unsafe operations and potential vulnerabilities. To achieve this goal, a new framework, called VAnDroid, based on Model Driven Reverse Engineering (MDRE), is presented that identifies security risks and vulnerabilities related to the Android application communication model. In the proposed framework, some security-related information included in an Android app is automatically extracted and represented as a domain-specific model. Then, it is used for analyzing security configurations and identifying vulnerabilities in the corresponding application. The proposed framework is implemented as an Eclipse-based tool, which automatically identifies the Intent Spoofing and Unauthorized Intent Receipt as two attacks related to the Android application communication model. To evaluate the tool, it has been applied to several real-world Android applications, including 20 apps from Google Play and 110 apps from the F-Droid repository. VAnDroid is also compared with several existing analysis tools, and it is shown that it has a number of key advantages over those tools specifically regarding its high correctness, scalability, and usability in discovering vulnerabilities. The results well indicate the effectiveness and capacity of the VAnDroid as a promising approach in the field of Android security.