ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: PERSPECTIVES AND PREDICTIONS

In the first pari of this paper a brief elementary introduction is given to Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is intended for a general audience. In the second part, predictions are made about future developments in each of what are arguably the major subfields of AI. These predictions evolved over a timespan of about two years. Initial versions of them drawn from the literature and elsewhere were distributed to a number of experts working in the various subfields, revised following their criticisms and suggestions, distributed again, and so on for a number of iterations. Since no clear consensus emerged, we are solely responsible for the final form they take. The second part also briefly takes up some broad questions concerning the future economic significance of these developments and the likely social changes they will bring about.     

适用于多品种柔性生产的多工位加工中心

汽车工业中，零部件的定货量，如ABS壳体和转向杆等，动辄百万件。他们向供应商的定货批量通常高达250，000至500000件，而且还可能有多批次的后续定单。而在其它行业则是批量小，但品种多。不能适应这种环境就不能成为一个好的供应商，不能迅速响应这种产新需求的机床制造厂商，就不是一家优秀的机床制造商。     

达到精镗极限的专用精密镗刀:DigiBore

高质量机床的生产取决于专业的、高质量的机床配件,其中最重要的莫过于刀具.这就需要系统供应商的通力合作,既技术质量与高标准的服务有机结合 用户希望我们能按要求的标准生产,而系统供应商对我们承诺的服务是我们能还取得成功的关键.德国Darries Scharmann技术公司(D(a)rries Scharmann Technologie GmbH-DST)NC生产部门主管Michael Bleckmann解释说:不适当的服务支持造成的问题是我们无法承受的.这恰恰与工艺装备的情况相似.在高档机床的生产方面,我们只与能够为其产品提供广泛而可靠服务的供应商合作.对于精密镗削也是这样,我们已与Wohlhaupter公司在DigiBore精密镗刀方面合作有年.只有配用顶级工具才能保证我们生产的产品具备顶级质量.     

Destriping multiple sensor imagery by improved histogram matching

Abstract

Sensor stripes evident in multisensor imagery can cause subsequent image classification to fail, if not removed properly. Of the destriping algorithms investigated, the one published by Horn and Woodham seemed to be the most promising, although, due to an inherent conceptual flaw, it can produce unexpected results. The problem with the original algorithm of Horn and Woodham arises from the fact that under certain circumstances it is extremely sensitive to statistically insignificant differences in the image data recorded by the individual sensors. This problem can be overcome by acquiring image statistics from homogeneous sub-images only.     

Do I Buy with a Little Help from My Friends? Homeownership-Relevant Group Characteristics and Homeownership Disparities among Canadian Immigrant Groups, 1971–2001

Using the 1971–2001 census of Canada master files, in this paper it is shown how employment in banking/finance, construction and real estate, and living in multiple family households reduces unexplained homeownership disparities between groups in Canada's seven largest immigrant-intake Census Metropolitan Areas. Although these characteristics are important at times for homeownership attainment, they do not elicit a persistent effect across the study period.     

EFFECT OF PLANT MATURITY ON THE MINERAL CONTENT OF THE LEAVES OF MOMORDICA BALSAMINA L. AND VIGNA UNGUICULATA SUBSP. SESQUIPEDALIS (L.) VERDC.

ABSTRACT

Vegetable quality can be influenced by various factors including preharvest conditions and stage of maturity. Consumers are increasingly demanding for food with acceptable internal quality attributes like vitamins and mineral composition, in addition to sensory properties like appearance, texture, taste and aroma. The purpose of this study was to examine the mineral content of two traditional leafy vegetables in Botswana, namely Momordica balsamina and Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis, at different stages of maturity. Both vegetables exhibited different variation patterns in their leaf mineral contents with advancing age and the effect of maturity stage was significant (P < 0.05). Although M. balsamina and V. unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis could be integrated into a food‐based strategy to alleviate micronutrient malnutrition, the recommended harvesting stages would be dictated by the specific mineral deficiency being addressed.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The research findings are relevant in communities where home gardens and wild vegetable gathering are promoted as strategies to increase the intake of micronutrient‐rich foods. Practical uses are in the formulation of guidelines toward the optimal harvesting times for different vegetables depending on specific mineral nutrient deficiencies being addressed.     

A review of: “KNOWLEDGE AS DESIGN”, by D. N. Perkins. Lawrence Earlbaum Associates,Hillsdale, New Jersey, 1986. XVI+ 247 pp.

The paper describes an approach to obtaining prior imprecise reliability values of components and systems. The mathematical basis of the approach is the theory of coherent imprecise probabilities. The procedure of prior imprecise probability elicitation is based on analogical reasoning, and two cases of precise and imprecise reliabilities of prototypes are considered. Cases of combining different reliability judgements for the same component are analyzed. The remainder of the paper is devoted to imprecise reliability assessments of different system structures: components in parallel, in series and in series-parallel. The formulae obtained allow getting the lower and upper probabilities without the assumption of conditional independence. What we can expect from the use of this new tool is briefly discussed.     

Effects of different calcium salts on properties of milk related to heat stability

Insoluble calcium salts were added to milk to increase total calcium by 30 mM, without changing properties influencing heat stability, such as pH and ionic calcium. There were no major signs of instability associated with coagulation, sediment formation or fouling when subjected to ultra high temperature (UHT) and in‐container sterilisation. The buffering capacity was also unaltered. On the other hand, addition of soluble calcium salts reduced pH, increased ionic calcium and caused coagulation to occur. Calcium chloride showed the largest destabilising effect, followed by calcium lactate and calcium gluconate. Milk became unstable to UHT processing at lower calcium additions compared to in‐container sterilisation.     

TAKING AGENTS SERIOUSLY

Stit theory (a logic of seeing-to-it-that) is applied to legal matters. First the background to and nature of stit are set out, including a discussion of agentive sentences, branching time semantics, and the semantics specific to stit. In the second part are calculations involving stit. These stit calculations involve conjunctive actions, conditional actions, refraining, and when an agent could have done otherwise. The third part sets out some stit developments, including accounts of obligation and prohibition, multiple agency, and strategies and promises. Legal cases and actions involving evidence are discussed throughout.