An autonomous mobile robot with a 3D laser range finder for 3D exploration and digitalization of indoor environments

Digital 3D models of the environment are needed in rescue and inspection robotics, facility managements and architecture. This paper presents an automatic system for gaging and digitalization of 3D indoor environments. It consists of an autonomous mobile robot, a reliable 3D laser range finder and three elaborated software modules. The first module, a fast variant of the Iterative Closest Points algorithm, registers the 3D scans in a common coordinate system and relocalizes the robot. The second module, a next best view planner, computes the next nominal pose based on the acquired 3D data while avoiding complicated obstacles. The third module, a closed-loop and globally stable motor controller, navigates the mobile robot to a nominal pose on the base of odometry and avoids collisions with dynamical obstacles. The 3D laser range finder acquires a 3D scan at this pose. The proposed method allows one to digitalize large indoor environments fast and reliably without any intervention and solves the SLAM problem. The results of two 3D digitalization experiments are presented using a fast octree-based visualization method.     

Physiological cost of energy-equivalent noise exposures with a rating level of 85 dB(A):: Hearing threshold shifts associated with energetically negligible continuous and impulse noise

In industry continuous or impulse noise does not occur exclusively; rather it is a combination of both. If low-level continuous noise or impulse noise (below 120 dB) is added to an already existing high-level continuous noise this often numerically causes no essential increase in the rating level. Yet, it cannot be expected that also aural strain of these exposures is always negligible. Therefore, in a cross-over test series, ten male subjects (Ss) were exposed to white noise of 94 dB(A) for 1 h (TS I), energy-equivalent to an 8 h-rating level L_Ard of 85 dB(A). In a second test series (TS II) the same exposure was combined with 900 energetically negligible 5-ms impulses with a noise level of 113 dB(A) which increased the rating level by only 0.4 dB. The noise exposure of TS I and TS II was followed by an idealized resting phase in a soundproof cabin. In a third test series (TS III) the continuous noise of 94 dB(A) / 1 h was followed by 3 h of white noise at 70 dB(A). Such an additional load increases the L_Ard by merely 0.1 dB to 85.1 dB(A). In all three test series, the noise-induced temporary threshold shift (TTS₂) and its restitution were measured. The continuous noise exposure of 94 dB(A) for 1 h was associated with a TTS₂ of around 20 dB which disappeared completely after about 2 h. The additional impulse noise caused a small increase in the TTS₂ and a prolongation of the restitution time. The maximum mean temporary threshold shift for the group increased only slightly (from 22.5 to 25.9 dB, which nevertheless can be statistically proven at a significance level of p 0.99). Yet, more importantly, the restitution time increased from 126 to 175 min, i. e. 3 h, which can be statistically proven at a significance level of p0.95. The TTS₂-values of TS III did not differ significantly from those resulting from TS I. That was expected as the conditions up to that point in time were identical. But due to the additional subsequent exposure, the mean restitution time increased considerably from 126 min up to 240 min (4 h). The mean total physiological cost represented by the integrated restitution temporary threshold shift (IRTTS) increased in TS II by approximately 40% and in TS III even by 140%.

Relevance to industry

The results of the study show that levels of noise which have no influence on the rating level which traditionally is calculated according to the energy-equivalence principle are often of great importance, as they can lead to considerably prolonged restitution times. Therefore, the purely energy-equivalent determination of the rating level of both impulse noise and low sound levels can lead to an underestimation of latent problems so that over time a reversible TTS can evolve into a permanent threshold shift. The results are also of importance for the acoustic design of break rooms for noise-exposed workers. There should be conditions that allow an undisturbed restitution of hearing.     

RFID security

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems have become popular for automated identification and supply chain applications. This article describes the technical fundamentals of RFID systems and the associated standards. Specifically, we address the security and privacy aspects of this relatively new and heterogeneous radio technology. We discuss the related security requirements, the threats and the implemented mechanisms. Then the current security and privacy proposals and their enhancements are presented. Finally we discuss the role of this technology in Ubiquitous Computing.     

Identification and Optimization of the First Highly Selective GLUT1 Inhibitor BAY‐876

Despite the long‐known fact that the facilitative glucose transporter GLUT1 is one of the key players safeguarding the increase in glucose consumption of many tumor entities even under conditions of normal oxygen supply (known as the Warburg effect), only few endeavors have been undertaken to find a GLUT1‐selective small‐molecule inhibitor. Because other transporters of the GLUT1 family are involved in crucial processes, these transporters should not be addressed by such an inhibitor. A high‐throughput screen against a library of ～3 million compounds was performed to find a small molecule with this challenging potency and selectivity profile. The N‐(1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)quinoline‐4‐carboxamides were identified as an excellent starting point for further compound optimization. After extensive structure–activity relationship explorations, single‐digit nanomolar inhibitors with a selectivity factor of >100 against GLUT2, GLUT3, and GLUT4 were obtained. The most promising compound, BAY‐876 [N⁴‐[1‐(4‐cyanobenzyl)‐5‐methyl‐3‐(trifluoromethyl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl]‐7‐fluoroquinoline‐2,4‐dicarboxamide], showed good metabolic stability in vitro and high oral bioavailability in vivo.     

Ex vivo and in vivo Evaluation of [18F]PR04.MZ in Rodents: A Selective Dopamine Transporter Imaging Agent

N‐4‐Fluorobut‐2‐yn‐1‐yl‐2β‐carbomethoxy‐3β‐phenyltropane (PR04.MZ) has been developed as dopamine transporter (DAT) ligand for molecular imaging. It contains a terminally fluorinated, conformationally constrained nitrogen substituent that is well suited for the introduction of fluorine‐18. The present report describes the pharmacological characterisation of [¹⁸F]PR04.MZ. The ligand shows an IC₅₀ value of 2 nM against human DAT, whereas the IC₅₀ value against human serotonin transporter and human noradrenalin transporter are lower (110 nM and 22 nM , respectively). Furthermore, its ex vivo organ distribution, its binding profile in the rat brain and reversibility of binding were examined. A μPET study illuminates a fast kinetic profile and specific binding to rat DAT.