An evidential approach for detection of abnormal behaviour in the presence of unreliable sensors

We address the problem of abnormal behaviour recognition of the inhabitant of a smart home in the presence of unreliable sensors. The corner stone of this work is a two-level architecture sensor fusion based on the Transferable Belief Model (TBM). The novelty of our work lies in the way we detect both unreliable sensors and abnormal behaviour within our architecture by using a temporal analysis of conflict resulting from the fusion of sensors. Detection of abnormal behaviour is based on a prediction/observation process and the influence of the faulty sources is discarded by discounting coefficients. Our architecture is tested in a real-life setting using three heterogeneous sensors enabling the detection of impossible transitions between three possible postures: Sitting, Standing and Lying. The impact of having a faulty sensor management is also tested in the real-life experiment for posture detection.     

Automatic analysis of human posture equilibrium using empirical mode decomposition

The present study proposes a new approach for the assessment of the human balance control. This approach is based on the decomposition of the center of pressure displacement using empirical mode decomposition (EMD) that provides an effective time-frequency analysis of non-stationary signals. Twenty-eight healthy subjects performed quiet standing in four conditions—feet apart/together with respect to eyes open/closed—while recording the stabilometric signals in the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions. The EMD method decomposes each stabilometric signal into several subsignals called intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Stabilogram-diffusion analysis technique is applied to generate the diffusion curve of each IMF signal. Each diffusion curve is modeled as a second-order system and provides representative features, such as the gain parameter. Analysis of the gain parameter shows the major effect of visual input and feet conditions on the strategy to control/stabilize the balance. Significant differences were found between young and elderly, and between women and men. In addition, the impact of feet position seems to be higher in ML direction than in AP direction.     

Multifunctional glow discharge analyzer for spacecraft monitoring

In this study the main objective was to develop and demonstrate a glow discharge microplasma coupled to a miniature spectrometer for detection of fire signatures from pyrolyzing and burning spacecraft materials. Our experimental results demonstrate that combustion-produced carbonaceous aerosols can serve to identify the burning materials. Demonstrating versatility for chemistry analysis, the plasma detector could differentiate carbonaceous aerosols with different C/H ratios and distinguish inorganic samples such as salts and metal oxides from carbonaceous aerosols. In addition, in situ analysis of aerosol samples validated the microplasma’s analytical utility by linearity of its optical emission intensity with aerosol elemental composition.     

Barrier effect of flame retardant systems in poly(methyl methacrylate): Study of the efficiency of the surface treatment by octylsilane of silica nanoparticles in combination with phosphorous fire retardant additives

In this work, flame retardant systems comprising ammonium polyphosphate (AP423) and hydrophilic (A200) or hydrophobic (R805) nanometric silica were incorporated into PMMA. The following techniques were performed to detail the fire behaviour of the composites: mass loss cone calorimetry, pyrolysis‐combustion flow calorimetry, pyrolysis‐gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and microscopic observations. The best fire behaviour was obtained with the surface‐treated silica in the presence of AP423. The formation of a new crystalline phase from the interactions between AP423 and R805 silica and a strong barrier effect due to a layered residue were the main modes of action of this system. Moreover, we have shown that the difference between the AP423 + R805 and AP423 + A200 systems was due to poor dispersion of the silica into the PMMA matrix in the latter formulation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The pin power distribution in theVVER-1000 mock-up on the LR-0 research reactor

The pin power density distribution in reactor is an important quantity, necessary for the adequate assessment of fuel conditions and of core structures and pressure vessel radiation embrittlement as well.The paper shows the detailed comparison of calculated and experimentally determined pin by pin power distribution. To verify the reliability of measured data used for comparison with calculated data, the symmetrically located pins were measured. The calculations have been done with deterministic and Monte Carlo approach. The effect of different data libraries used for calculations are discussed as well.     

Growing Communities: Integrating the Social and Economic Benefits of Urban Agriculture in Cape Town

There has been growing interest in the use of urban agriculture to address food insecurity and poverty in Cape Town. This reflects debates on urban agriculture in the global south. In the north, growing food in cities has been tended to be framed in terms of its social benefits. This paper investigates the perceived benefits of urban agriculture in projects in Seawinds and Vrygrond in Cape Town. Using the concept of metabolic rift is argues for connections between northern and southern constructions of urban agriculture. This approach enables connections to be seen between the practice in seemingly different areas without losing the local context. The paper argues that by using this integrated approach, projects may be more sustainable and ultimately provide both clearer social and economic benefits.