1,217 research outputs found
GlobalFestival: Evaluating Real World Interaction on a Spherical Display
Spherical displays present compelling opportunities for interaction in public spaces. However, there is little research into how touch interaction should control a spherical surface or how these displays are used in real world settings. This paper presents an in the wild deployment of an application for a spherical display called GlobalFestival that utilises two different touch interaction techniques. The first version of the application allows users to spin and tilt content on the display, while the second version only allows spinning the content. During the 4-day deployment, we collected overhead video data and on-display interaction logs. The analysis brings together quantitative and qualitative methods to understand how users approach and move around the display, how on screen interaction compares in the two versions of the application, and how the display supports social interaction given its novel form factor
Environmental features of Chinese architectural heritage: the standardization of form in the pursuit of equilibrium with nature
We present a scientific discussion about Chinese historical architecture and cultural paradigms in order to analyze the formation of building patterns objectively connected to environmental features. In this regard, we will demonstrate the process of standardization from architectural modules related in different levels of composition around “voids”, onto cosmological urban tissues in harmony with nature. The conclusions show that we can only understand Chinese architectural patterns in relation to Dà o or nature, and in turn, they possess profound social and environmental values from which we receive useful lessons to advance towards sustainability in architecture and urban planning. The authors believe that it is critical for China and the world to find a new approach to the building construction industry with an ecological and philosophical background recognizable as “Chinese” and based in its own past. In order to support the information provided in the first part of the article, the authors have conducted an environmental analysis of the traditional Chinese urban layout whose results greatly confirm the initial hypotheses, i.e. the historical fashion of constructing neighborhoods improves conditions of the town in terms of comfort and is able to save energy, thus reducing pernicious change effects
PLASMA-lab: A Flexible, Distributable Statistical Model Checking Library
International audienceWe present PLASMA-lab, a statistical model checking (SMC) library that provides the functionality to create custom statistical model checkers based on arbitrary discrete event modelling languages. PLASMA-lab is written in Java for maximum cross-platform compatibility and has already been incorporated in various performance-critical software and embedded hardware platforms. Users need only implement a few simple methods in a simulator class to take advantage of our efficient SMC algorithms. PLASMA-lab may be instantiated from the command line or from within other software. We have constructed a graphical user interface (GUI) that exposes the functionality of PLASMA-lab and facilitates its use as a standalone application with multiple 'drop-in' modelling languages. The GUI adds the notion of projects and experiments, and implements a simple, practical means of distributing simulations using remote clients
A Review of Platforms for the Development of Agent Systems
Agent-based computing is an active field of research with the goal of
building autonomous software of hardware entities. This task is often
facilitated by the use of dedicated, specialized frameworks. For almost thirty
years, many such agent platforms have been developed. Meanwhile, some of them
have been abandoned, others continue their development and new platforms are
released. This paper presents a up-to-date review of the existing agent
platforms and also a historical perspective of this domain. It aims to serve as
a reference point for people interested in developing agent systems. This work
details the main characteristics of the included agent platforms, together with
links to specific projects where they have been used. It distinguishes between
the active platforms and those no longer under development or with unclear
status. It also classifies the agent platforms as general purpose ones, free or
commercial, and specialized ones, which can be used for particular types of
applications.Comment: 40 pages, 2 figures, 9 tables, 83 reference
Choreographic and Somatic Approaches for the Development of Expressive Robotic Systems
As robotic systems are moved out of factory work cells into human-facing
environments questions of choreography become central to their design,
placement, and application. With a human viewer or counterpart present, a
system will automatically be interpreted within context, style of movement, and
form factor by human beings as animate elements of their environment. The
interpretation by this human counterpart is critical to the success of the
system's integration: knobs on the system need to make sense to a human
counterpart; an artificial agent should have a way of notifying a human
counterpart of a change in system state, possibly through motion profiles; and
the motion of a human counterpart may have important contextual clues for task
completion. Thus, professional choreographers, dance practitioners, and
movement analysts are critical to research in robotics. They have design
methods for movement that align with human audience perception, can identify
simplified features of movement for human-robot interaction goals, and have
detailed knowledge of the capacity of human movement. This article provides
approaches employed by one research lab, specific impacts on technical and
artistic projects within, and principles that may guide future such work. The
background section reports on choreography, somatic perspectives,
improvisation, the Laban/Bartenieff Movement System, and robotics. From this
context methods including embodied exercises, writing prompts, and community
building activities have been developed to facilitate interdisciplinary
research. The results of this work is presented as an overview of a smattering
of projects in areas like high-level motion planning, software development for
rapid prototyping of movement, artistic output, and user studies that help
understand how people interpret movement. Finally, guiding principles for other
groups to adopt are posited.Comment: Under review at MDPI Arts Special Issue "The Machine as Artist (for
the 21st Century)"
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/arts/special_issues/Machine_Artis
Parameter Study of an Orbital Debris Defender using Two Team, Three Player Differential Game Theory
The United States Air Force and other national agencies rely on numerous space assets to project their doctrine. However, space is becoming an increasingly congested, contested, and competitive environment. A common risk mitigation strategy for the orbit debris problem is either performing evasive maneuvers, or placing additional shielding on the satellite before launch. Current risk mitigation strategies have significant consequences to satellite operators and may not produce sufficient risk mitigation. This research poses that an orbital debris defender, which would defend the primary satellite from orbital debris, may be a more effective risk mitigation strategy. By assuming the worst case scenario, an optimally performing pursuer, this research can show when and how often the defender can intercept debris. The results of this research provide the performance trade space for the orbital debris defender, and additional recommendations to future satellite designers. Additionally, this researched derived a way to generate a pseudo cooperation between defender and evader. This cooperation between evader and defender is a new way to solve differential games, and is not limited to the space domain considered herein
Health Building Information Modeling (HBIM)-based Facility Management: A Conceptual Framework
The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has brought significant challenges to building operation and
occupant health. In practice, building operators have begun to use various Internet of Things (IoT)
technologies, intelligent sensing devices, and manual registration methods to update occupant information
and behaviour in different building areas. Building spaces are classified according to their health, such as
the distinction between safe areas and infected areas. Using the health data of occupants and spaces to help
buildings operate efficiently and safely is a problem that needs to be solved urgently. This research proposed
a conceptual framework for facility management driven by a Health Building Information Model (HBIM).
The framework aims to incorporate the emerging data types to enrich the health information of the BIM
model and provide decision support for facility operation and maintenance
Tracking, Analysis and Measurement of Pedestrian Trajectories
Pedestrian movement is unconstrained. For this reason it is not amenable to mathematical modelling in the same way as road traffic. Individual pedestrians are notoriously difficult to monitor at a microscopic level. This has led to a lack of primary data that can be used to develop reliable models.Although video surveillance is cheap to install and operate, video data is extremely expensive to process for this purpose. An alternative approach is to use passive infrared detectors that are able to track individuals unobtrusively. This thesis describesthe use of a low cost infrared sensor for use in tracking pedestrians. The sensor itself, manufactured by a British company, is designed to count people crossing an arbitrary datum line. However, with the development of additional software, the functionality of these sensors can be extended beyond their original design specification. This allows the trajectories of individual pedestrians to be tracked.Although the field of view of each sensor is relatively small (4x4 m), five were deployed in a busy indoor corridor, covering most of its length. In this research, the technical challenges involved in using the sensors in this way are addressed. Statistics derived from the data collected are then compared to other studies at this scale
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