Wireless Sensor Networks for Underwater Localization: A Survey

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) have widely deployed in marine investigation and ocean exploration in recent years. As the fundamental information, their position information is not only for data validity but also for many real-world applications. Therefore, it is critical for the AUV to have the underwater localization capability. This report is mainly devoted to outline the recent advance- ment of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) based underwater localization. Several classic architectures designed for Underwater Acoustic Sensor Network (UASN) are brie y introduced. Acoustic propa- gation and channel models are described and several ranging techniques are then explained. Many state-of-the-art underwater localization algorithms are introduced, followed by the outline of some existing underwater localization systems

A PROTOTYPE OF A ROBOTIC RESEARCH FACILITY FOR NUCLEAR APPLICATIONS

This work presents the development of the prototype of a robotic nuclear monitoring facility aimed to support technological and scientific research. It is a terrestrial robot in which nuclear and conventional instrumentation are available and easy-to-use through a user-friendly library for Python programming. The facility may be teleoperated (by mobile devices, notebook or desktop) or operate in autonomous mode,  in which a user-defined program run on robot CPU

Contribution of remote sensing technologies to a holistic coastal and marine environmental management framework: a review

Coastal and marine management require the evaluation of multiple environmental threats and issues. However, there are gaps in the necessary data and poor access or dissemination of existing data in many countries around the world. This research identifies how remote sensing can contribute to filling these gaps so that environmental agencies, such as the United Nations Environmental Programme, European Environmental Agency, and International Union for Conservation of Nature, can better implement environmental directives in a cost-e ective manner. Remote sensing (RS) techniques generally allow for uniform data collection, with common acquisition and reporting methods, across large areas. Furthermore, these datasets are sometimes open-source, mainly when governments finance satellite missions. Some of these data can be used in holistic, coastal and marine environmental management frameworks, such as the DAPSI(W)R(M) framework (Drivers–Activities–Pressures–State changes–Impacts (on Welfare)–Responses (as Measures), an updated version of Drivers–Pressures–State–Impact–Responses. The framework is a useful and holistic problem-structuring framework that can be used to assess the causes, consequences, and responses to change in the marine environment. Six broad classifications of remote data collection technologies are reviewed for their potential contribution to integrated marine management, including Satellite-based Remote Sensing, Aerial Remote Sensing, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Unmanned Surface Vehicles, Unmanned Underwater Vehicles, and Static Sensors. A significant outcome of this study is practical inputs into each component of the DAPSI(W)R(M) framework. The RS applications are not expected to be all-inclusive; rather, they provide insight into the current use of the framework as a foundation for developing further holistic resource technologies for management strategies in the future. A significant outcome of this research will deliver practical insights for integrated coastal and marine management and demonstrate the usefulness of RS to support the implementation of environmental goals, descriptors, targets, and policies, such as theWater Framework Directive, Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Ocean Health Index, and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, the opportunities and challenges of these technologies are discussed.Murray Foundation: 25.26022020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Soft Robotics in Radiation Environments : A Prospective Study of an Emerging Automated Technology for Existing Nuclear Applications

Traditional robots have a long history in nuclear-related work because their integration decreases risk to humans in dangerous environments. Soft robotics is one promising new branch of traditional robotics with proposed applications in industry, medicine, and society. Collaborators from the Robotics mLab at Oregon State University (OSU) are currently working on a proof of concept soft robotic manipulator built from 3-D printed silicone elastomer. It is therefore an opportune time to analyze the potential of this new soft robot and similar models to contribute to nuclear environments. This prospective analysis identifies the components of the soft robotic system and representative radiation environments for robotic tasks, then measures the functional capability of these components in the environments. Samples of polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) were exposed to gamma irradiation then studied for changes to mechanical properties, including elongation, tensile strength, and compression. Results from these tests showed less than a 25% gamma-induced change in all but the highest exposure environment. In addition, a 7-hour exposure of PDMS to the mixed radiation flux surrounding OSU's TRIGA research reactor (OSTR) resulted in activation of some unexpected impurities, including members of the lanthanide series. Liquid metal sensors being considered for use in soft robotics were also tested by measuring resistance during gamma exposure at 0.1 Gy/hr; no changes were noticeable. Electronic components including drive mechanisms, cameras, and signal communications were assessed using past literature. A comprehensive assessment of these individual results concludes that soft robotics have functional potential in radiation environments and therefore warrant further study and engineering

Technical Assistance Guide: Job Descriptions and Skills Required for Public Service/Transitional Jobs, Defining and Measuring Basic Workplace Skills

This technical assistance guide is designed as a resource for local governments and community agencies developing public service and transitional jobs programs to engage workers on layoff or unable to find employment during the current recessionary period. It draws upon successful work relief projects developed in Milwaukee County in prior decades along with job and skill descriptions developed for programs considered during the 1990s. The emphasis of the technical assistance guide is on identifying steps communities can take to move quickly into job creation, drawing on the considerable federal and state resources already available and in the public domain. The focus is on job creation and development of clear expectations of each worker’s job responsibilities, basic skills required, transferable skills gained on the job, and the potential for non-subsidized employment after the recession. Tested workforce skill data models are presented, which can be easily updated