Development of a flexible test-bed for robotics, telemanipulation and servicing research

The development of a flexible operation test-bed, based around a commercially available ASEA industrial robot is described. The test-bed was designed to investigate fundamental human factors issues concerned with the unique problems of robotic manipulation in the hostile environment of Space

Understanding and ameliorating non-linear phase and amplitude responses in AMCW Lidar

Amplitude modulated continuous wave (AMCW) lidar systems commonly suffer from non-linear phase and amplitude responses due to a number of known factors such as aliasing and multipath inteference. In order to produce useful range and intensity information it is necessary to remove these perturbations from the measurements. We review the known causes of non-linearity, namely aliasing, temporal variation in correlation waveform shape and mixed pixels/multipath inteference. We also introduce other sources of non-linearity, including crosstalk, modulation waveform envelope decay and non-circularly symmetric noise statistics, that have been ignored in the literature. An experimental study is conducted to evaluate techniques for mitigation of non-linearity, and it is found that harmonic cancellation provides a significant improvement in phase and amplitude linearity

Mobile, collaborative augmented reality using cloudlets

The evolution in mobile applications to support advanced interactivity and demanding multimedia features is still ongoing. Novel application concepts (e.g. mobile Augmented Reality (AR)) are however hindered by the inherently limited resources available on mobile platforms (not withstanding the dramatic performance increases of mobile hardware). Offloading resource intensive application components to the cloud, also known as "cyber foraging", has proven to be a valuable solution in a variety of scenarios. However, also for collaborative scenarios, in which data together with its processing are shared between multiple users, this offloading concept is highly promising. In this paper, we investigate the challenges posed by offloading collaborative mobile applications. We present a middleware platform capable of autonomously deploying software components to minimize average CPU load, while guaranteeing smooth collaboration. As a use case, we present and evaluate a collaborative AR application, offering interaction between users, the physical environment as well as with the virtual objects superimposed on this physical environment

A system performance throughput model applicable to advanced manned telescience systems

As automated space systems become more complex, autonomous, and opaque to the flight crew, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine whether the total system is performing as it should. Some of the complex and interrelated human performance measurement issues are addressed that are related to total system validation. An evaluative throughput model is presented which can be used to generate a human operator-related benchmark or figure of merit for a given system which involves humans at the input and output ends as well as other automated intelligent agents. The concept of sustained and accurate command/control data information transfer is introduced. The first two input parameters of the model involve nominal and off-nominal predicted events. The first of these calls for a detailed task analysis while the second is for a contingency event assessment. The last two required input parameters involving actual (measured) events, namely human performance and continuous semi-automated system performance. An expression combining these four parameters was found using digital simulations and identical, representative, random data to yield the smallest variance

The influence of non-imaging detector design on heralded ghost-imaging and ghost-diffraction examined using a triggered ICCD came

Ghost imaging and ghost diffraction can be realized by using the spatial correlations between signal and idler photons produced by spontaneous parametric down-conversion. If an object is placed in the signal (idler) path, the spatial correlations between the transmitted photons as measured by a single, non-imaging, “bucket” detector and a scanning detector placed in the idler (signal) path can reveal either the image or diffraction pattern of the object, whereas neither detector signal on its own can. The details of the bucket detector, such as its collection area and numerical aperture, set the number of transverse modes supported by the system. For ghost imaging these details are less important, affecting mostly the sampling time required to produce the image. For ghost diffraction, however, the bucket detector must be filtered to a single, spatially coherent mode. We examine this difference in behavour by using either a multi-mode or single-mode fibre to define the detection aperture. Furthermore, instead of a scanning detector we use a heralded camera so that the image or diffraction pattern produced can be measured across the full field of view. The importance of a single mode detection in the observation of ghost diffraction is equivalent to the need within a classical diffraction experiment to illuminate the aperture with a spatially coherent mode

WiseEye: next generation expandable and programmable camera trap platform for wildlife research

Funding: The work was supported by the RCUK Digital Economy programme to the dot.rural Digital Economy Hub; award reference: EP/G066051/1. The work of S. Newey and RJI was part funded by the Scottish Government's Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS). Details published as an Open Source Toolkit, PLOS Journals at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169758Peer reviewedPublisher PD