Epos – an instrument for the assessment of the ethical position in software development

Digital technology becomes more powerful, intelligent, pervasive and ubiquitous. Ethical aspects of this development have not yet drawn the appropriate attention of researchers and engineers. This paper presents an instrument that aims at measuring the individual ethical position with regard to the design and development of computer software. The development of the Epos tool was based on two data collections. The data of the first survey (n₁ = 147 participants) were used to select items and to determine the factorial structure of the questionnaire. Results show that the Epos instrument reliably assesses peoples’ ethical opinion with respect to five central components: (1) regulation, (2) data privacy, (3) domain specific knowledge, (4) societal responsibility and (5) company responsibility. In the second survey, we determined the stability of the instruments factor structure by assessing a sample of n₂?=?196 participants. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the initial factor structure. Next steps and further implications are discussed regarding the final version of the questionnaire.     

Systematic convergence of nonlinear stochastic estimators on the Special Orthogonal Group SO(3)

This paper introduces two novel nonlinear stochastic attitude estimators developed on the Special Orthogonal Group with the tracking error of the normalized Euclidean distance meeting predefined transient and steady‐state characteristics. The tracking error is confined to initially start within a predetermined large set such that the transient performance is guaranteed to obey dynamically reducing boundaries and decrease smoothly and asymptotically to the origin in probability from almost any initial condition. The proposed estimators produce accurate attitude estimates with remarkable convergence properties using measurements obtained from low‐cost inertial measurement units. The estimators proposed in continuous form are complemented by their discrete versions for the implementation purposes. The simulation results illustrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed estimators against uncertain measurements and large initialization error, whether in continuous or discrete form.     

The Israeli-Palestinian peace process and its vicissitudes: Insights from attitude theory.

The vicissitudes of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process since 1967 are analyzed using attitudes and related concepts where relevant. The 1967 war returned the two peoples' zero-sum conflict around national identity to its origin as a conflict within the land both peoples claim. Gradually, new attitudes evolved regarding the necessity and possibility of negotiations toward a two-state solution based on mutual recognition, which became the building stones of the 1993 Oslo agreement. Lacking a commitment to a final outcome, the Oslo-based peace process was hampered by reserve options, which increased avoidance at the expense of approach tendencies as the parties moved toward a final agreement. The resulting breakdown of the process in 2000 produced clashing narratives, reflecting different anchors for judgment and classical mirror images. Public support for violence increased, even as public opinion continued to favor a negotiated two-state solution. Reviving the peace process requires mutual reassurance about the availability of a partner for negotiating a principled peace based on a historic compromise that meets the basic needs and validates the identities of both peoples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Screening of South African Food Plants for Antioxidant Activity

ABSTRACT: In a screening of South African indigenous food plants for antioxidant activity by testing for inhibition of lipid peroxidation, the "potherbs" Amaranthus sp., Sisymbrium thellungii , and Urtica dioica had very high activity. This activity was greatest in the boiled extract of Amaranthus sp. and the boilet and aqueous extracts of Sisymbrium thellungii and Urtica dioica. The activity in the aqueous extract of Nasturtium aquatica was lost by boiling. High activity was also obtained with the teas Galium aparine and Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos) and with the tuber Colocasia esculenta.     

保证跌落试件姿态的方法

进行包装件的自由跌落试验时,必须保证试件姿态符合标准规定。笔者在实践中总结出一种保证试件姿态和检验试件姿态误差的具体方法。     

Two years of operational use of Subpixel Automatic Navigation of AVHRR scheme: accuracy assessment and validation

Automated techniques for satellite imagery navigation and co-location are especially required for environmental monitoring activities intensively using satellite data. In this work are presented the results obtained after 2 years of operational use of the Subpixel Automatic Navigation of AVHRR (SANA) scheme. An automatic method for accuracy assessment of satellite navigation techniques, which permits a preliminary evaluation of their performances, dealing with a large collection of test images is also proposed. The navigation accuracy assessment, performed by using a selection of small islands as reference points, is discussed.Results achieved over more than 400 Advanced Very-High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) scenes confirm that the SANA scheme is a very accurate one (computed mean navigation error is generally about one AVHRR pixel). Furthermore, because of its high processing speed, it can be considered a suitable tool for intensive satellite data processing in multitemporal analyses, especially required for environmental studies as well as for operational monitoring purposes.     

修正型罗德里格斯参数在旋转弹上的应用

光纤陀螺可应用于旋转弹导航上,以提高其精确打击能力。基于光纤陀螺的捷联惯性导航系统是实现这一目的的重要手段之一。其中,姿态更新算法是捷联惯性导航系统的核心。针对旋转弹短时、近程的特点,提出一种基于修正型罗德里格斯参数的全姿态更新算法,并给出适合旋转弹姿态确定的数学模型。仿真结果表明与传统姿态更新算法相比较,新算法可以更有效的抑制不可交换误差,降低跟随时间的累积误差,减少高动态环境下的计算量,提高算法结算的速度和精度。     

MEMS惯性传感器ADIS16355在姿态测量中的应用

设计了基于微电子机械系统(Microelectro mechanical system,MEMS)惯性传感器集成模块ADIS16355的姿态测量系统。该姿态测量系统采用ADIS16355作为惯性测量单元,利用加速度计对重力向量的观测来修正陀螺给出的姿态信息,卡尔曼滤波实现传感器信息融合以计算运动载体的姿态角。介绍了ADIS16355的基本功能模块,阐述了两种传感器融合测量实时姿态角的方法并给出了卡尔曼滤波算法迭代过程。基于ARMv7架构的Cotex-M3微处理器设计了姿态测量系统硬件。采用AHRS500GA对该姿态测量系统性能进行了测量姿态角的验证实验。测试结果表明,该姿态测量系统能在动态条件下准确地测定运动物体实时姿态角,其误差一般在±1°左右。     

Physiological arousal, dissonance, and attitude change: Evidence for a dissonance-arousal link and a "Don't remind me" effect.

Two experiments, with 80 undergraduates, replicated and extended research by R. T. Croyle and J. Cooper (see record 1984-11595-001) indicating that cognitive dissonance involves physiological arousal. In Exp I, Ss wrote counterattitudinal essays under conditions of high or low choice and, to assess arousal effects owing to effort, with or without a list of arguments provided by the experimenter. In high-choice conditions only and regardless of effort, Ss showed both arousal (heightened galvanic skin response) and attitude change. Arousal, however, did not decline following attitude change. The more effortful task (no arguments provided) produced increased arousal but not greater attitude change. In Exp II, the opportunity to change one's attitude following a freely chosen counterattitudinal essay was manipulated. As in Exp I, arousal increased following the essay but did not decline following a postessay attitude change opportunity. When Ss were not given an attitude change opportunity, however, arousal did decline. It is suggested that if dissonance is a drive state, drive reduction typically may be accomplished through gradual cognitive change or forgetting. (47 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)