Training of Crisis Mappers and Map Production from Multi-sensor Data: Vernazza Case Study (Cinque Terre National Park, Italy)

This aim of paper is to presents the development of a multidisciplinary project carried out by the cooperation between Politecnico di Torino and ITHACA (Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action). The goal of the project was the training in geospatial data acquiring and processing for students attending Architecture and Engineering Courses, in order to start up a team of "volunteer mappers". Indeed, the project is aimed to document the environmental and built heritage subject to disaster; the purpose is to improve the capabilities of the actors involved in the activities connected in geospatial data collection, integration and sharing. The proposed area for testing the training activities is the Cinque Terre National Park, registered in the World Heritage List since 1997. The area was affected by flood on the 25th of October 2011. According to other international experiences, the group is expected to be active after emergencies in order to upgrade maps, using data acquired by typical geomatic methods and techniques such as terrestrial and aerial Lidar, close-range and aerial photogrammetry, topographic and GNSS instruments etc.; or by non conventional systems and instruments such us UAV, mobile mapping etc. The ultimate goal is to implement a WebGIS platform to share all the data collected with local authorities and the Civil Protectio

Advancing automation and robotics technology for the Space Station Freedom and for the US economy

Described here is the progress made by Levels 1, 2, and 3 of the Space Station Freedom in developing and applying advanced automation and robotics technology. Emphasis was placed on the Space Station Freedom program responses to specific recommendations made in the Advanced Technology Advisory Committee (ATAC) Progress Report 13, and issues of A&R implementation into the payload operations integration Center at Marshall Space Flight Center. Assessments are presented for these and other areas as they apply to the advancement of automation and robotics technology for Space Station Freedom

Adoption of vehicular ad hoc networking protocols by networked robots

This paper focuses on the utilization of wireless networking in the robotics domain. Many researchers have already equipped their robots with wireless communication capabilities, stimulated by the observation that multi-robot systems tend to have several advantages over their single-robot counterparts. Typically, this integration of wireless communication is tackled in a quite pragmatic manner, only a few authors presented novel Robotic Ad Hoc Network (RANET) protocols that were designed specifically with robotic use cases in mind. This is in sharp contrast with the domain of vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET). This observation is the starting point of this paper. If the results of previous efforts focusing on VANET protocols could be reused in the RANET domain, this could lead to rapid progress in the field of networked robots. To investigate this possibility, this paper provides a thorough overview of the related work in the domain of robotic and vehicular ad hoc networks. Based on this information, an exhaustive list of requirements is defined for both types. It is concluded that the most significant difference lies in the fact that VANET protocols are oriented towards low throughput messaging, while RANET protocols have to support high throughput media streaming as well. Although not always with equal importance, all other defined requirements are valid for both protocols. This leads to the conclusion that cross-fertilization between them is an appealing approach for future RANET research. To support such developments, this paper concludes with the definition of an appropriate working plan

Technologies for safe and resilient earthmoving operations: A systematic literature review

Resilience engineering relates to the ability of a system to anticipate, prepare, and respond to predicted and unpredicted disruptions. It necessitates the use of monitoring and object detection technologies to ensure system safety in excavation systems. Given the increased investment and speed of improvement in technologies, it is necessary to review the types of technology available and how they contribute to excavation system safety. A systematic literature review was conducted which identified and classified the existing monitoring and object detection technologies, and introduced essential enablers for reliable and effective monitoring and object detection systems including: 1) the application of multisensory and data fusion approaches, and 2) system-level application of technologies. This study also identified the developed functionalities for accident anticipation, prevention and response to safety hazards during excavation, as well as those that facilitate learning in the system. The existing research gaps and future direction of research have been discussed

Advancing automation and robotics technology for the Space Station Freedom and for the U.S. economy

In April 1985, as required by Public Law 98-371, the NASA Advanced Technology Advisory Committee (ATAC) reported to Congress the results of its studies on advanced automation and robotics technology for use on Space Station Freedom. This material was documented in the initial report (NASA Technical Memorandum 87566). A further requirement of the law was that ATAC follow NASA's progress in this area and report to Congress semiannually. This report is the fifteenth in a series of progress updates and covers the period between 27 Feb. - 17 Sep. 1992. The progress made by Levels 1, 2, and 3 of the Space Station Freedom in developing and applying advanced automation and robotics technology is described. Emphasis was placed upon the Space Station Freedom program responses to specific recommendations made in ATAC Progress Report 14. Assessments are presented for these and other areas as they apply to the advancement of automation and robotics technology for Space Station Freedom

자동차 사양 변경을 실시간 반영하는 데이터 기반 디자인 접근 방법

학위논문 (박사) -- 서울대학교 대학원 : 융합과학기술대학원 융합과학부(지능형융합시스템전공), 2020. 8. 곽노준.The automotive industry is entering a new phase in response to changes in the external environment through the expansion of eco-friendly electric/hydrogen vehicles and the simplification of modules during the manufacturing process. However, in the existing automotive industry, conflicts between structured production guidelines and various stake-holders, who are aligned with periodic production plans, can be problematic. For example, if there is a sudden need to change either production parts or situation-specific designs, it is often difficult for designers to reflect those requirements within the preexisting guidelines. Automotive design includes comprehensive processes that represent the philosophy and ideology of a vehicle, and seeks to derive maximum value from the vehicle specifications. In this study, a system that displays information on parts/module components necessary for real-time design was proposed. Designers will be able to use this system in automotive design processes, based on data from various sources. By applying the system, three channels of information provision were established. These channels will aid in the replacement of specific component parts if an unexpected external problem occurs during the design process, and will help in understanding and using the components in advance. The first approach is to visualize real-time data aggregation in automobile factories using Google Analytics, and to reflect these in self-growing characters to be provided to designers. Through this, it is possible to check production and quality status data in real time without the use of complicated labor resources such as command centers. The second approach is to configure the data flow to be able to recognize and analyze the surrounding situation. This is done by applying the vehicles camera to the CCTV in the inventory and distribution center, as well as the direction inside the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to identify and record the parts resources and real-time delivery status from the internal camera function without hesitation from existing stakeholders. The final approach is to supply real-time databases of vehicle parts at the site of an accident for on-site repair, using a public API and sensor-based IoT. This allows the designer to obtain information on the behavior of parts to be replaced after accidents involving light contact, so that it can be reflected in the design of the vehicle. The advantage of using these three information channels is that designers can accurately understand and reflect the modules and components that are brought in during the automotive design process. In order to easily compose the interface for the purpose of providing information, the information coming from the three channels is displayed in their respective, case-specific color in the CAD software that designers use in the automobile development process. Its eye tracking usability evaluation makes it easy for business designers to use as well. The improved evaluation process including usability test is also included in this study. The impact of the research is both dashboard application and CAD system as well as data systems from case studies are currently reflected to the design ecosystem of the motors group.자동차 산업은 친환경 전기/수소 자동차의 확대와 제조 공정에서의 모듈 단순화를 통해서 외부 환경의 변화에 따른 새로운 국면을 맞이하고 있다. 하지만 기존의 자동차 산업에서 구조화된 생산 가이드라인과 기간 단위 생산 계획에 맞춰진 여러 이해관계자들과의 갈등은 변화에 대응하는 방안이 관성과 부딪히는 문제로 나타날 수 있다. 예를 들어, 갑작스럽게 생산에 필요한 부품을 변경해야 하거나 특정 상황에 적용되는 디자인을 변경할 경우, 주어진 가이드라인에 따라 디자이너가 직접 의견을 반영하기 어려운 경우가 많다. 자동차 디자인은 차종의 철학과 이념을 나타내고 해당 차량제원으로 최대의 가치를 끌어내고자 하는 종합적인 과정이다. 본 연구에서는 여러 원천의 데이터를 기반으로 자동차 디자인 과정에서 활용할 수 있도록 디자인에 필요한 부품/모듈 구성요소들에 대한 정보를 실시간으로 표시해주는 시스템을 고안하였다. 이를 적용하여 자동차 디자인 과정에서 예상 못한 외부 문제가 발생했을 때 선택할 구성 부품을 대체하거나 사전에 해당 부품을 이해하고 디자인에 활용할 수 있도록 세 가지 정보 제공 채널을 구성하였다. 첫 번째는 자동차 공장 내 실시간 데이터 집계를 Google Analytics를 활용하여 시각화하고, 이를 공장 자체의 자가 성장 캐릭터에 반영하여 디자이너에게 제공하는 방식이다. 이를 통해 종합상황실 등의 복잡한 인력 체계 없이도 생산 및 품질 현황 데이터를 실시간으로 확인 가능하도록 하였다. 두 번째는 차량용 주차보조 센서 카메라를 차량 부착 뿐만 아니라 인벤토리와 물류센터의 CCTV에도 적용하여 주변상황을 인식하고 분석할 수 있도록 구성하였다. 차량의 조립 생산 단계에서 부품 단위의 이동, 운송, 출하를 거쳐 완성차의 주행 단계에 이르기까지 데이터 흐름을 파악하는 것이 디자인 부문에 필요한 정보를 제공할 수 있는 방법으로 활용되었다. 이를 통해 기존 이해관계자들의 큰 반발 없이 내부의 카메라 기능으로부터 부품 리소스와 운송 상태를 실시간 파악 및 기록 가능하도록 하였다. 마지막으로 공공 API와 센서 기반의 사물인터넷을 활용해서 도로 위 차량 사고가 발생한 위치에서의 현장 수리를 위한 차량 부품 즉시 수급 및 데이터베이스화 방법도 개발 되었다. 이는 디자이너로 하여금 가벼운 접촉 사고에서의 부품 교체 행태에 대한 정보를 얻게 하여 차량의 디자인에 반영 가능하도록 하였다. 시나리오를 바탕으로 이 세 가지 정보 제공 채널을 활용할 경우, 자동차 디자인 과정에서 불러들여오는 부품 및 모듈의 구성 요소들을 디자이너가 정확히 알고 반영할 수 있다는 장점이 부각되었다. 정보 제공의 인터페이스를 쉽게 구성하기 위해서, 실제로 디자이너들이 자동차 개발 과정에서 디자인 프로세스 상에서 활용하는 CAD software에 세 가지 채널들로부터 들어오는 정보를 사례별 컬러로 표시하고, 이를 시선추적 사용성 평가를 통해 현업 디자이너들이 사용하기 쉽게 개선한 과정도 본 연구에 포함시켜 설명하였다.1 Introduction 1 1.1 Research Background 1 1.2 Objective and Scope 2 1.3 Environmental Changes 3 1.4 Research Method 3 1.4.1 Causal Inference with Graphical Model 3 1.4.2 Design Thinking Methodology with Co-Evolution 4 1.4.3 Required Resources 4 1.5 Research Flow 4 2 Data-driven Design 7 2.1 Big Data and Data Management 6 2.1.1 Artificial Intelligence and Data Economy 6 2.1.2 API (Application Programming Interface) 7 2.1.3 AI driven Data Management for Designer 7 2.2 Datatype from Automotive Industry 8 2.2.1 Data-driven Management in Automotive Industry 8 2.2.2 Automotive Parts Case Studies 8 2.2.3 Parameter for Generative Design 9 2.3 Examples of Data-driven Design 9 2.3.1 Responsive-reactive 9 2.3.2 Dynamic Document Design 9 2.3.3 Insignts from Data-driven Design 10 3 Benchmark of Data-driven Automotive Design 12 3.1 Method of Global Benchmarking 11 3.2 Automotive Design 11 3.2.1 HMI Design and UI/UX 11 3.2.2 Hardware Design 12 3.2.3 Software Design 12 3.2.4 Convergence Design Process Model 13 3.3 Component Design Management 14 4 Vehicle Specification Design in Mobility Industry 16 4.1 Definition of Vehicle Specification 16 4.2 Field Study 17 4.3 Hypothesis 18 5 Three Preliminary Practical Case Studies for Vehicle Specification to Datadriven 21 5.1 Production Level 31 5.1.1 Background and Input 31 5.1.2 Data Process from Inventory to Designer 41 5.1.3 Output to Designer 51 5.2 Delivery Level 61 5.2.1 Background and Input 61 5.2.2 Data Process from Inventory to Designer 71 5.2.3 Output to Designer 81 5.3 Consumer Level 91 5.3.1 Background and Input 91 5.3.2 Data Process from Inventory to Designer 101 5.3.3 Output to Designer 111 6 Two Applications for Vehicle Designer 86 6.1 Real-time Dashboard DB for Decision Making 123 6.1.1 Searchable Infographic as a Designer's Tool 123 6.1.2 Scope and Method 123 6.1.3 Implementation 123 6.1.4 Result 124 6.1.5 Evaluation 124 6.1.6 Summary 124 6.2 Application to CAD for vehicle designer 124 6.2.1 CAD as a Designer's Tool 124 6.2.2 Scope and Method 125 6.2.3 Implementation and the Display of the CAD Software 125 6.2.4 Result 125 6.2.5 Evaluation: Usability Test with Eyetracking 126 6.2.6 Summary 128 7 Conclusion 96 7.1 Summary of Case Studies and Application Release 129 7.2 Impact of the Research 130 7.3 Further Study 131Docto

GUARDIANS final report

Emergencies in industrial warehouses are a major concern for firefghters. The large dimensions together with the development of dense smoke that drastically reduces visibility, represent major challenges. The Guardians robot swarm is designed to assist fire fighters in searching a large warehouse. In this report we discuss the technology developed for a swarm of robots searching and assisting fire fighters. We explain the swarming algorithms which provide the functionality by which the robots react to and follow humans while no communication is required. Next we discuss the wireless communication system, which is a so-called mobile ad-hoc network. The communication network provides also one of the means to locate the robots and humans. Thus the robot swarm is able to locate itself and provide guidance information to the humans. Together with the re ghters we explored how the robot swarm should feed information back to the human fire fighter. We have designed and experimented with interfaces for presenting swarm based information to human beings

Robot Compatible Environment and Conditions

Service robot technology is progressing at a fast pace. Accurate robot-friendly indoor localization and harmonization of built environ-ment in alignment with digital, physical, and social environment becomes emphasized. This paper proposes the novel approach of Robot Compatible Environment (RCE) within the architectural space. Evolution of service robotics in connection with civil engineering and architecture is discussed, whereas optimum performance is to be achieved based on robots’ capabilities and spatial affordances. For ubiquitous and safe human-robot interaction, robots are to be integrated into the living environment. The aim of the research is to highlight solutions for various interconnected challenges within the built environment. Our goal is to reach findings on comparison of robotic and accessibility standards, synthesis of navigation, access to information and social acceptance. Checklists, recommendations, and design process are introduced within the RCE framework, proposing a holistic approach

Benefits of Building Information Modelling in the Project Lifecycle: Construction Projects in Asia

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a process involving the creation and management of objective data with property, unique identity and relationship. In the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, BIM is adopted a lot in the lifecycle of buildings because of the high integration of information that it enables. Four-dimensional (4D) computer-aided design (CAD) has been adopted for many years to improve the construction planning process. BIM is adopted throughout buildings’ lifecycles, in design, construction and operation. This paper presents five large-scale public and financial projects that adopt BIM in the design, construction and operational phases. Different uses of BIM are compared and contrasted in the context of the separate backgrounds. It is concluded that productivity is improved where BIM is used to enable easy sharing and integration of information and convenient collaboration

Future bathroom: A study of user-centred design principles affecting usability, safety and satisfaction in bathrooms for people living with disabilities

Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2010-11 (Department of Health) Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 197