3,706 research outputs found
A Web-Based Distributed Virtual Educational Laboratory
Evolution and cost of measurement equipment, continuous training, and distance learning make it difficult to provide a complete set of updated workbenches to every student. For a preliminary familiarization and experimentation with instrumentation and measurement procedures, the use of virtual equipment is often considered more than sufficient from the didactic point of view, while the hands-on approach with real instrumentation and measurement systems still remains necessary to complete and refine the student's practical expertise. Creation and distribution of workbenches in networked computer laboratories therefore becomes attractive and convenient. This paper describes specification and design of a geographically distributed system based on commercially standard components
Computational Simulation and 3D Virtual Reality Engineering Tools for Dynamical Modeling and Imaging of Composite Nanomaterials
An adventure at engineering design and modeling is possible with a Virtual
Reality Environment (VRE) that uses multiple computer-generated media to let a
user experience situations that are temporally and spatially prohibiting. In
this paper, an approach to developing some advanced architecture and modeling
tools is presented to allow multiple frameworks work together while being
shielded from the application program. This architecture is being developed in
a framework of workbench interactive tools for next generation
nanoparticle-reinforced damping/dynamic systems. Through the use of system, an
engineer/programmer can respectively concentrate on tailoring an engineering
design concept of novel system and the application software design while using
existing databases/software outputs.Comment: Submitted on behalf of TIMA Editions
(http://irevues.inist.fr/tima-editions
Genuine lab experiences for students in resource constrained environments: The RealLab with integrated intelligent assessment.
Laboratory activities are indispensable for developing engineering skills. Computer Aided Learning (CAL) tools can be used to enhance laboratory learning in various ways, the latest approach being the virtual laboratory technique that emulates traditional laboratory processes. This new approach makes it possible to give students complete and genuine laboratory experiences in situations constrained by limited resources in the provision of laboratory facilities and infrastructure and/or where there is need for laboratory education, for large classes, with only one laboratory stand. This may especially be the case in countries in transition. Most existing virtual laboratories are not available for purchase. Where they are, they may not be cost friendly for resource constrained environments. Also, most do not integrate any form of assessment structure. In this paper, we present a very cost friendly virtual laboratory solution for genuine laboratory experiences in resource constrained environments, with integrated intelligent assessment
A Web-Based Distributed Virtual Educational Laboratory
Evolution and cost of measurement equipment, continuous training, and distance learning make it difficult to provide a complete set of updated workbenches to every student. For a preliminary familiarization and experimentation with instrumentation and measurement procedures, the use of virtual equipment is often considered more than sufficient from the didactic point of view, while the hands-on approach with real instrumentation and measurement systems still remains necessary to complete and refine the student's practical expertise. Creation and distribution of workbenches in networked computer laboratories therefore becomes attractive and convenient. This paper describes specification and design of a geographically distributed system based on commercially standard components
Survey on Evaluation Methods for Dialogue Systems
In this paper we survey the methods and concepts developed for the evaluation
of dialogue systems. Evaluation is a crucial part during the development
process. Often, dialogue systems are evaluated by means of human evaluations
and questionnaires. However, this tends to be very cost and time intensive.
Thus, much work has been put into finding methods, which allow to reduce the
involvement of human labour. In this survey, we present the main concepts and
methods. For this, we differentiate between the various classes of dialogue
systems (task-oriented dialogue systems, conversational dialogue systems, and
question-answering dialogue systems). We cover each class by introducing the
main technologies developed for the dialogue systems and then by presenting the
evaluation methods regarding this class
Advanced satellite workstation: An integrated workstation environment for operational support of satellite system planning and analysis
A prototype integrated environment, the Advanced Satellite Workstation (ASW), is described that has been developed and delivered for evaluation and operator feedback in an operational satellite control center. The current ASW hardware consists of a Sun Workstation and Macintosh II Workstation connected via an ethernet Network Hardware and Software, Laser Disk System, Optical Storage System, and Telemetry Data File Interface. The central mission of ASW is to provide an intelligent decision support and training environment for operator/analysts of complex systems such as satellites. There have been many workstation implementations recently which incorporate graphical telemetry displays and expert systems. ASW is a considerably broader look at intelligent, integrated environments for decision support, based upon the premise that the central features of such an environment are intelligent data access and integrated toolsets. A variety of tools have been constructed in support of this prototype environment including: an automated pass planner for scheduling vehicle support activities, architectural modeler for hierarchical simulation and analysis of satellite vehicle subsystems, multimedia-based information systems that provide an intuitive and easily accessible interface to Orbit Operations Handbook and other relevant support documentation, and a data analysis architecture that integrates user modifiable telemetry display systems, expert systems for background data analysis, and interfaces to the multimedia system via inter-process communication
Emergence of Functional Hierarchy in a Multiple Timescale Neural Network Model: A Humanoid Robot Experiment
It is generally thought that skilled behavior in human beings results from a
functional hierarchy of the motor control system, within which reusable motor
primitives are flexibly integrated into various sensori-motor sequence patterns.
The underlying neural mechanisms governing the way in which continuous
sensori-motor flows are segmented into primitives and the way in which series of
primitives are integrated into various behavior sequences have, however, not yet
been clarified. In earlier studies, this functional hierarchy has been realized
through the use of explicit hierarchical structure, with local modules
representing motor primitives in the lower level and a higher module
representing sequences of primitives switched via additional mechanisms such as
gate-selecting. When sequences contain similarities and overlap, however, a
conflict arises in such earlier models between generalization and segmentation,
induced by this separated modular structure. To address this issue, we propose a
different type of neural network model. The current model neither makes use of
separate local modules to represent primitives nor introduces explicit
hierarchical structure. Rather than forcing architectural hierarchy onto the
system, functional hierarchy emerges through a form of self-organization that is
based on two distinct types of neurons, each with different time properties
(“multiple timescales”). Through the introduction of
multiple timescales, continuous sequences of behavior are segmented into
reusable primitives, and the primitives, in turn, are flexibly integrated into
novel sequences. In experiments, the proposed network model, coordinating the
physical body of a humanoid robot through high-dimensional sensori-motor
control, also successfully situated itself within a physical environment. Our
results suggest that it is not only the spatial connections between neurons but
also the timescales of neural activity that act as important mechanisms leading
to functional hierarchy in neural systems
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