SOVEREIGN: A Self-Organizing, Vision, Expectation, Recognition, Emotion, Intelligent, Goal-Oriented Navigation System

Both animals and mobile robots, or animats, need adaptive control systems to guide their movements through a novel environment. Such control systems need reactive mechanisms for exploration, and learned plans to efficiently reach goal objects once the environment is familiar. How reactive and planned behaviors interact together in real time, and arc released at the appropriate times, during autonomous navigation remains a major unsolved problern. This work presents an end-to-end model to address this problem, named SOVEREIGN: A Self-Organizing, Vision, Expectation, Recognition, Emotion, Intelligent, Goal-oriented Navigation system. The model comprises several interacting subsystems, governed by systems of nonlinear differential equations. As the animat explores the environment, a vision module processes visual inputs using networks that arc sensitive to visual form and motion. Targets processed within the visual form system arc categorized by real-time incremental learning. Simultaneously, visual target position is computed with respect to the animat's body. Estimates of target position activate a motor system to initiate approach movements toward the target. Motion cues from animat locomotion can elicit orienting head or camera movements to bring a never target into view. Approach and orienting movements arc alternately performed during animat navigation. Cumulative estimates of each movement, based on both visual and proprioceptive cues, arc stored within a motor working memory. Sensory cues are stored in a parallel sensory working memory. These working memories trigger learning of sensory and motor sequence chunks, which together control planned movements. Effective chunk combinations arc selectively enhanced via reinforcement learning when the animat is rewarded. The planning chunks effect a gradual transition from reactive to planned behavior. The model can read-out different motor sequences under different motivational states and learns more efficient paths to rewarded goals as exploration proceeds. Several volitional signals automatically gate the interactions between model subsystems at appropriate times. A 3-D visual simulation environment reproduces the animat's sensory experiences as it moves through a simplified spatial environment. The SOVEREIGN model exhibits robust goal-oriented learning of sequential motor behaviors. Its biomimctic structure explicates a number of brain processes which are involved in spatial navigation.Advanced Research Projects Agency (N00014-92-J-4015); Air Force Office of Scientific Research (F49620-92-J-0225, F49620-01-1-0397); National Science Foundation (IRI 90-24877, SBE-0354378); Office of Naval Research (N00014-91-J-4100, N00014-92-J-1309, N00014-95-1-0657, N00014-01-1-0624); Pacific Sierra Research (PSR 91-6075-2

Pelaksanaan Program Inovasi SAMSAT Corner Dalam Rangka Meningkatkan Pelayanan Kepada Wajib Pajak (Studi Pada SAMSAT Corner Kota Malang)

: Implementation of Program Innovation SAMSAT Corner in Order to Increase Taxpayer Services (Study at SAMSAT Corner Malang), The quality service necessary to implement changes in the public service, one of the efforts is to improve the system and service procedures through a variety of programs innovation to the public oriented. Bureaucratic institutions SAMSAT Office is a form of cooperation between the three institutions, Kepolisian, Dipenda dan Jasa Raharja who has published Program service innovation to the public oriented, especially to the taxpayer that SAMSAT Corner innovation program that has the goal to provide better service in accordance with the wishes of the people the existence of services that are transparent, accountable, fast, precise, effective and efficient, and easier for the taxpayer in tax payments. The implementation of the program innovation SAMSAT Corner accordance with the Kepmenpan No.63/KEP/M.PAN/7/2003 about public service guidelines, which describes the standards in the public service. In addition the implementation of the program innovation SAMSAT Corner assessed not only can improve service to taxpayers, but also improve resource revenue (PAD) in regional development. As for public sector innovation needs to be developed further, especially in the provision of services in accordance with the demands of society

An analysis of transfer pricing theory and an investigation into the domestic transfer pricing practices of large listed South African industrial companies.

Thesis (M.Acc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1997.An analysis of transfer pricing theory reveals that there are three main objectives of a transfer pricing system: the attainment of goal congruence, the facilitation of fair divisional performance evaluation and the promotion of divisional autonomy. A critical evaluation of suggested theoretically correct transfer pricing methods suggests that the simultaneous attainment of all three objectives is a difficult goal to be realised by a single transfer pricing method. The most appropriate method to suit a particular set of circumstances is contingent upon those circumstances. The transfer pricing objective considered most important in practice by large listed South African industrial companies is the facilitation of fair divisional performance evaluation. Objectives relating to simplicity and ease of application are also rated more highly than goal congruence. Both these findings are somewhat surprising based on the review of current literature. The domestic transfer pricing methods used by large listed South African industrial companies are fairly evenly split between cost and non-cost-oriented methods. The most frequently used primary transfer pricing method is market price. The use of mathematical programming and economic marginal cost prices is practically non-existent. These findings are consistent with the findings of some recent overseas studies. Policies relating to the selection of the transfer pricing method, the purchase of intermediate goods and services and the settlement of transfer pricing disputes reflects some head office management involvement in the transfer price decision process in most cases. Three organisational variables appear to have a significant association with a firm's choice of transfer pricing method. Firstly, companies with a low level of interdivisional trading use non-cost oriented transfer pricing methods whereas companies with a high level of interdivisional trading use cost-oriented methods. Secondly, transfer pricing methods selected as a result of some head office management involvement tend to be cost-oriented whereas methods selected by the divisions themselves tend to be non-cost-oriented. Thirdly, cost-oriented methods tend to be used in companies in which transfer pricing disputes are normally settled by some form of head office intervention and non-cost oriented methods are used in those companies in which disputes are normally settled by the divisions themselves

Keeping America's Food Safe: A Blueprint for Fixing the Food Safety System at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Summarizes Health and Human Services' food safety programs, highlights concerns about current laws and policies, and outlines reform proposals. Suggests creating a Food Safety Administration to coordinate policy, inspection, and enforcement activities

The ICC’s witness protective measures through the lens of policy-oriented jurisprudence

The protection of witnesses from intimidation or harm has become a firmly entrenched part of modern criminal justice systems. The ICC’s decision-making with regard to procedural and non-procedural protective measures has on one hand reinforced the integrity and success of the judicial process, while on the other hand has led to numerous interpretational and applicability challenges of both policy and legal framework. This article aims at designating policy-oriented jurisprudence as a possible theoretical approach and solution to the ICC’s international law making of witness protective measures. Policy-oriented jurisprudence approaches international law as a decision-making process where decisions are made pursuant to shared community interests and expectations. This is likely to aid an adviser, scholar, or those entrusted with decision-making to pay particular attention to all factors necessary for the security of witnesses

A People's History Of Recent Urban Transportation Innovation

Who are the people leading the charge in urban transportation? As our report explains, the short answer is that it takes leaders from three different sectors of urban society to make change happen quickly.First, there needs to be a robust civic vanguard, the more diverse their range of skills and participation, the better. Second, mayors, commissioners and other city leaders need to create the mandate and champion the change. The third sector is the agency staff. When these three sectors align, relatively quick transformation is possible. Several cities, including New York and Pittsburgh, recently experienced this alignment of a healthy civic community, a visionary and bold mayor and transportation head, and internal agency champions. Our report also highlighted the potential of other cities, such as Charlotte, where the civic sector continues to build on and widen their base

Diversity-Konzept 2011–2014 der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main

The “Diversity Concept of the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main 2011–2014” is based on the goals as laid down in the University Development Plan 2011. The Goethe University combined various instruments for working out the concept, not least in order to ensure adequate participation: on the one hand, guided interviews were conducted, for example, with employees in advisory functions, members of the AStA (General Students’ Commit-tee), etc. On the other hand, Internet research, an open space workshop, as well as four strategy and awareness-raising workshops on various topics were organized. The concept was developed in close cooperation with the vice president responsible for gender and diversity, Prof. Dr. Roser Valenti, the Senate Commission “Advancement of Women, Equal Opportunity, and Diversity”, the “Project Supervision Group Diversity Poli-cies”, and the Equal Opportunities Office. The Goethe University already has various concepts and target agreements on gender equal-ity and family support. The Diversity Concept therefore includes no measures on these top-ics. With the expiry of the Plan for the Advancement of Women in 2014, all of the other reports and measures related to equal opportunity and diversity will be consolidated in a central “Gender Equality & Diversity Action Plan of the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main” (GEDAP) and updated every four years.Das »Diversity-Konzept der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main 2011 – 2014« basiert auf den im Hochschulentwicklungsplan 2011 festgelegten Zielen der Universität. Für die Erarbeitung des Konzeptes hat die Goethe-Universität verschiedene Instrumente kombiniert, nicht zuletzt, um eine ausreichende Partizipation zu gewährleisten: So wurden zum einen Leitfadeninterviews mit Beschäftigten in Beratungsfunktionen, Mitgliedern des AStA und anderen geführt. Zum anderen wurden eine Internetrecherche, ein Open-Space-Workshop sowie vier Strategie- und Sensibilisierungs-Workshops mit unterschiedlichen Themenstellungen organisiert. Das Konzept entstand in enger Zusammenarbeit zwischen der für Gleichstellung zuständigen Vizepräsidentin, Prof. Roser Valenti, der Senatskommission »Frauenförderung, Gleichstellung und Diversität«, der »Projektsteuerungsgruppe diversityPolicies« und dem Gleichstellungsbüro. An der Goethe-Universität liegen bereits verschiedene Konzepte und Zielvereinbarungen zur Geschlechtergleichstellung und Familienförderung vor. Das Diversity-Konzept sieht deshalb dazu keine Maßnahmen vor. Mit Auslaufen des Frauenförderplans im Jahr 2014 werden gleichstellungs- und andere diversitätsbezogene Berichte und Maßnahmen in einem zentralen »Gender Equality & Diversity Action Plan« (GEDAP) der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main zusammengefasst und alle vier Jahre fortgeschrieben

Modelling the relationship between planning, control, perception and execution behaviours in interactive worksystems

This paper presents a model of planning carried out by interactive worksystems which attempts: 1. To describe the relationship between planning, control, perception and execution behaviours; 2. To make explicit how these may be distributed across the user and physically separate devices. Such a model, it is argued, is more suitable to support HCI design practice than theories of planning in cognitive science which focus on problem-solving methods and representations. To demonstrate the application of the model to work situations, it is illustrated by examples drawn from an observational study of secretarial office administration