Terrain‐inclination‐based Three‐dimensional Localization for Mobile Robots in Outdoor Environments

A new terrain‐inclination‐based localization technique is proposed in this paper to enable a robot to identify its three‐dimensional location relative to measurable terrain inclinations. Given a topographical map and a planned path, a robot‐terrain‐inclination model (RTI model) is extracted along the path on the terrain upon which the robot is operating. A particle filter is then used to fuse the measurement data with the robot motion based on the extracted RTI model for either a three‐wheeled or a four‐wheeled mobile robot. Experiments were carried out in four outdoor scenarios: one short path with different initial conditions and map resolution, another short path with different surface roughness and sensor accuracy, and two long paths with different types of rigid terrains and multiple loops. Experimental results show that the proposed method could achieve good localization performance on inclined outdoor terrains.     

The hitchhiker’s guide to ubicomp: using techniques from literary and critical theory to reframe scientific agendas

Literary criticism places fictional work in historical, social and psychological contexts to offer insights about the way that texts are produced and consumed. Critical theory offers a range of strategies for analysing what a text says and just as importantly, what it leaves unsaid. Literary analyses of scientific writing can also produce insights about how research agendas are framed and addressed. This paper provides three readings of a seminal ubiquitous computing scenario by Marc Weiser. Three approaches from literary and critical theory are demonstrated in deconstructive, psychoanalytic and feminist readings of the scenario. The deconstructive reading suggests that alongside the vision of convenient and efficient ubiquitous computing is a complex set of fears and anxieties that the text cannot quite subdue. A psychoanalytic reading considers what the scenario is asking us to desire and identifies the dream of surveillance without intrusion. A final feminist reading discusses gender and collapsing distinctions between public and private, office and home, family and work life. None of the readings are suggested as the final truth of what Weiser was “really” saying. Rather they articulate a set of issues and concerns that might frame design agendas differently. The scenario is then re-written in two pastiches that draw on source material with very different visions of ubiquitous computing. The Sal scenario is first rewritten in the style of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In this world, technology is broken, design is poor and users are flawed, fallible and vulnerable. The second rewrites the scenarios in the style of Philip K Dick’s novel Ubik. This scenario serves to highlight what is absent in Weiser’s scenario and indeed most design scenarios: money. The three readings and two pastiches underline the social conflict and struggle more often elided or ignored in the stories told in ubicomp literature. It is argued that literary forms of reading and writing can be useful in both questioning and reframing scientific writing and design agendas.     

Damage Mechanisms and the Mechanical Properties of a Laminated 0/90 Ceramic/Matrix Composite

The tensile properties of a 0/90 laminated CAS matrix composite reinforced with Nicalon fibers have been measured. Some effects of notches have also been explored. Changes in modulus and permanent strain caused by matrix cracking have been measured and compared with available models. For this comparison, independent measurements have been made of the constituent properties and the residual stress. The ultimate tensile strength has also been measured and compared with a global load-sharing model. It is concluded that lower-bound matrix cracking models provide good predictability of the stresses at which various matrix cracking mechanisms first operate. Also, the ultimate tensile strength is found to be consistent with a global load-sharing model, based on the in situ strength properties of the fibers. Conversely, the evolution of matrix cracks at stresses above the lower bound has yet to be adequately modeled. In addition, a need is identified for improved models relating elastic properties and permanent strains to matrix crack spacing.     

Applications of laser Raman microprobe spectroscopy to the characterization of coals and cokes

Optical microscopy is widely used in the characterization of coals and cokes. This Paper shows that the laser Raman microprobe (MOLE) which combines an optical microscope and a Raman spectrometer can provide useful additional information. Three main areas were investigated: identification of minerals in coal and coke; structural characterization of coals and cokes; and the interaction of inorganic additives and coal. Where possible, the results were compared with conventional optical microscopy measurements whereby it was shown that the optical texture and Raman spectra of cokes are not closely related. The Raman spectra of high temperature cokes were used to estimate the size of microcrystalline regions.     

Model for the effects of water on the cationic UV-curing of cyclohexyl epoxides

The effect of relative humidity on the photoin-duced curing kinetics of cyclohexyl epoxide and epoxide/polyol coating formulations was investigated in real-time using FTIR spectroscopy. In total, five formulations were used in this study, including a cyclohexyl epoxide without polyol, and four with polyols. The polyol formulations were varied with respect to ratio of epoxide to polyol, and molar functionality of the hydroxyl group. The formulations were exposed to a maximum of seven different relative humidities (6, 16, 20, 30, 51, 62, 75 RH). The curing speed and overall conversion of the epoxy group passed through a maxima for all the formulations. The polyol had an effect on the hydrophilicity of the overall formulation. It was also found that water and polyols had a synergistic effect on the UV-curing kinetics, in effect lowering the relative humidity to achieve a maxima. A model for UV-curing mechanisms at low, medium, and high relative humidity was proposed for both systems with and without the polyols. Part of this work was done at the Polymers and Coatings Dept., North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105. Presented at the 80th Annual Meeting of the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology, Oct. 30–Nov. 1, 2002, in New Orelans, LA. Dept. of Polymer Engineering, Akron, OH 44325-0301.     

Co‐injection molding of PVC with other thermoplastics: Processing,properties, and applications

Rigid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was co‐injected with glass‐fiber‐reinforced PVC (GFR‐PVC), polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer (ABS), and polycarbonate (PC) by using the Mono‐sandwich co‐injection process. Up to three through‐thickness skin‐core morphologies were observed along the length of the sample. Near the gate, the core was always a single, continuous layer. In some cases, the core diverged into multiple or discontinuous layers. Farther from the gate, flow of the core ceased, leaving a skin‐only region. The skin and core layers were more uniformly distributed through the test plaque when injection speed was low. Adhesion between PVC and PP was poor. Skin and core layers delaminated, and mechanical properties were poor. The PVC adhered well to GFR‐PVC, ABS, and PC. No layer delamination occurred, and mechanical properties were intermediate between those of the skin and core components alone. Dropped dart impact energy was controlled more by the skin layer than the core. In rigid PVC/GFR‐PVC co‐injected samples, impact energy was 2.5 times greater when GFR‐PVC was the core than when GFR‐PVC was the skin.     

Geographic Variation in Alkaloid Production in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Conium maculatum</Emphasis> Populations Experiencing Differential Herbivory by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agonopterix alstroemeriana</Emphasis>

Conium maculatum, a Eurasian weed naturalized in North America, contains high concentrations of piperidine alkaloids that act as chemical defenses against herbivores. C. maculatum was largely free from herbivory in the United States, until approximately 30 yr ago, when it was reassociated via accidental introduction with a monophagous European herbivore, the oecophorid caterpillar Agonopterix alstroemeriana. At present, A. alstroemeriana is found in a continuum of reassociation time and intensities with C. maculatum across the continent; in the Pacific Northwest, A. alstroemeriana can cause severe damage, resulting in some cases in complete defoliation. Studies in biological control and invasion biology have yet to determine whether plants reassociated with a significant herbivore from the area of indigeneity increase their chemical defense investment in areas of introduction. In this study, we compared three locations in the United States (New York, Washington, and Illinois) where C. maculatum experiences different levels of herbivory by A. alstroemeriana to determine the association between the intensity of the interaction, as measured by damage, and chemical defense production. Total alkaloid production in C. maculatum was positively correlated with A. alstroemeriana herbivory levels: plants from New York and Washington, with higher herbivory levels, invested two and four times more N to alkaloid synthesis than did plants from Illinois. Individual plants with lower concentrations of alkaloids from a single location in Illinois experienced more damage by A. alstroemeriana, indicative of a preference on the part of the insect for plants with less chemical defense. These results suggest that A. alstroemeriana may act either as a selective agent or inducing agent for C. maculatum and increase its toxicity in its introduced range.     

Neutral sterols of sawflies (symphyta): Their relationship to other hymenoptera

To investigate sterol utilization in sawflies, the neutral sterols of four species of sawflies were determined by gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, and compared to the respective dietary plant material. Cholesterol was the predominant (55–76%) sterol in all species and stages of sawflies examined. Host plants, however, contained primarily sitosterol (50–88%), along with other 24-alkylsterols and only 0.5–5.9% cholesterol, indicating that the sawflies examined are capable of dealkylating the C₂₈ and C₂₉ phytosterols in their diet to cholesterol. Comparative sterol metabolism in Hymenoptera is discussed.     

Effect of Composition on the Electromechanical Properties of (1-x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3−XPbTiO3 Ceramics

Ceramic lead magnesium niobate–lead titanate ((1-x)PMN_-xPT) of different compositions has been prepared by the columbite precursor method. This study discusses compositions ranging from 0.94PMN–0.06PT to 0.60PM–N0.40PT, focusing on two areas of the (1-x)PMN_xPT system: compositions that exhibit electrostrictive behavior, and those that show piezoelectric behavior. In electrostrictive compositions where x is in the range of 0.06–0.20, the dielectric constant and electromechanical coupling factor dependencies on the bias field are evaluated. The optimal electromechanical properties are obtained with the composition 0.82PMN–0.18PT, measured at temperature T = T_m (the temperature of maximum dielectric constant) = 80°C and with a dc bias of 5 kV/cm. X–ray diffractometry is used to show that the (1-x)PMN_-xPT system has a compositionally wide two–phase region and that 0.655PMN–0.345PT is the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) composition. Electromechanical property evaluation shows that the optimal piezoelectric properties (piezoelectric charge coefficient ( d₃₃ ) value of 720 pC/N, dielectric constant ( K ) value of 5400, and electromechanical planar and thickness coupling coefficient ( k_p and k_t , respectively) values of 62% and 46%, respectively) are obtained at the MPB composition.     

Hydrodesulfurization of model diesel using Pt/Al2O3 catalysts prepared by supercritical deposition

Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts with Pt loadings ranging from 0.5 to 11 wt.% were synthesized by supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) deposition method. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the synthesized catalysts contained small Pt nanoparticles (1–4 nm in diameter) with a narrow size distribution, no observable agglomeration, and uniformly dispersed on the alumina support. The catalysts were found to be active for hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) dissolved in n-hexadecane (n-HD) without sulfiding the metal phase. The reaction proceeded only via the direct hydrogenolysis route in the temperature range 310–400 °C and at atmospheric pressure. The activity increased with increasing the metal loading. Increasing [H₂]₀/[DBT]₀ by either increasing [H₂]₀ or decreasing [DBT]₀, increased the DBT conversion. At a fixed weight hourly space velocity and feed concentration, conversion did not increase with increasing temperature beyond 330 °C. The presence of toluene inhibited the catalyst activity presumably due to competitive adsorption between DBT and toluene. Under the operating conditions, the reaction was far from equilibrium.