Learning to open new doors

Finding and opening an unknown door autonomously is an unsolved challenge that the most advanced robots in the world have not solved yet. Door handles have diferent locations, shapes, operating mechanisms and are made of different materials. Most approaches to door opening require precise information such as its exact location and a 3D model of the door handle that must be opened. This is one of the barriers that prevents robots from being used outside of controlled environments. In this thesis, we describe an approach to solve the problem of localizing and classifying a door handle with the REEM robot with no human intervention in the process. To do so we use the data obtained from a RGB-Depth sensor to detect the position of the door handle and compute an image of it that is processed by a supervised classi er system to determine the type of door handle. The type of the handle will determine which approach and opening motion is required to open the door. In this thesis we chose to perform stacked generalization with a feed-forward neural network on the prediction of several binary classi ers. The selection of the neural network model and binary classi ers is based on the experimental results of training and evaluating several combinations of supervised classi ers such as K-NN, SVM, Adaboost and Random Tree Forests with the image feature extraction algorithms Histogram of Oriented Gradients, Covariance Matrices and edge detection. In the end we obtain a model able to classify handle images with a performance higher than any of the individual binary classifiers trained

Cross-cultural management: A personal view

Research is an inquiry into the mind and human spirit that integrates life with learning and evolves in the mind of the reader. Recent events around the world have given new meaning to inquiry because of such dynamic changes. Doors to countries that were once locked and chained are now open

A Home Security System Based on Smartphone Sensors

Several new smartphones are released every year. Many people upgrade to new phones, and their old phones are not put to any further use. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of using such retired smartphones and their on-board sensors to build a home security system. We observe that door-related events such as opening and closing have unique vibration signatures when compared to many types of environmental vibrational noise. These events can be captured by the accelerometer of a smartphone when the phone is mounted on a wall near a door. The rotation of a door can also be captured by the magnetometer of a smartphone when the phone is mounted on a door. We design machine learning and threshold-based methods to detect door opening events based on accelerometer and magnetometer data and build a prototype home security system that can detect door openings and notify the homeowner via email, SMS and phone calls upon break-in detection. To further augment our security system, we explore using the smartphone’s built-in microphone to detect door and window openings across multiple doors and windows simultaneously. Experiments in a residential home show that the accelerometer- based detection can detect door open events with an accuracy higher than 98%, and magnetometer-based detection has 100% accuracy. By using the magnetometer method to automate the training phase of a neural network, we find that sound-based detection of door openings has an accuracy of 90% across multiple doors

Developing a professional online presence and effective network

This chapter considers the significance and value of using social media to develop an online presence to showcase professional and academic achievements as a student or educator, and how this can demonstrate student learning gain and teaching excellence. There are a variety of different ways to present academic work; contributing to the success of this, is understanding how social media can be used in a professional context to maximise reach and engagement. It explores how an online presence can be utilised to network with others and how this can open ‘virtual doors’ to CPD and informal learning, potential scholarly collaborations, plus new job opportunities or work experience. Furthermore a framework is introduced to illustrate the important areas to focus on to develop an online presence

The Diamond, September 11, 2008

Front Page: Welcome, Freshmen!; Enrollment Increases Two Years in a Row; Hubler\u27s Campaign: King\u27s Opponent on Campus News: Dordt Staff Seeks to Open Doors and Build Community; Motorized Shelves Ease Library Browsing New@Dordt: Drissell & Zwart Join Dordt Faculty; New Student Journal Due to Arrive This Fall; Wireless Goes AWOL Features: Parking Problems Proliferate; Takes Green to Make Green Opinion: A Bad Thing: Speaking Before Thinking; A Trip to Garbage City: Learning About Coptic Christians in Egypt Fine Arts: $6.30 Trailer Becomes a Reality; House Bunny Comes Up a Few Hops Short Sports: Northwestern Takes Tractor; Dordt Sport Reporthttps://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/dordt_diamond/1075/thumbnail.jp

OPEN COURSEWARE: A NEW PARADIGM IN E-LEARNING

History has proved that education and discovery are best advanced when knowledge is shared openly. Open Courseware (OCW) is a part of a comparatively new educational movement in the line of Open access and also an opportunity in the field of distance/elearning that leading institutions and universities around the world can capitalize for the betterment of the society. Great Universities and institutions constantly expand their reach, working across traditional boundaries to grasp and meet the global community’s most critical needs. Already world famous institutes like Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), all Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) are working along this way that will automatically inspire other institutions to openly share their course materials for open dissemination of knowledge and information that can open new doors to the benefits of education for humanity around the world. India is a vast country with different culture and languages. In this paper we studied different aspects of OCW and its impact on total learning processMizoram Universit

OPEN COURSEWARE: A NEW PARADIGM IN E-LEARNING

History has proved that education and discovery are best advanced when knowledge is shared openly. Open Courseware (OCW) is a part of a comparatively new educational movement in the line of Open access and also an opportunity in the field of distance/elearning that leading institutions and universities around the world can capitalize for the betterment of the society. Great Universities and institutions constantly expand their reach, working across traditional boundaries to grasp and meet the global community’s most critical needs. Already world famous institutes like Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), all Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) are working along this way that will automatically inspire other institutions to openly share their course materials for open dissemination of knowledge and information that can open new doors to the benefits of education for humanity around the world. India is a vast country with different culture and languages. In this paper we studied different aspects of OCW and its impact on total learning proce

Benim Hikayem

Anadolu University, Open Education Faculty opens new doors to provide you with a lifelong learning experience. In order to inspire our valued students and to convey the experiences of other students, we share your experiences from your language under the title of “My Story”. We are always with you in your struggle for lifelong learning

Building Social & Emotional Competence in Early Education Classrooms through Art Therapy

This research project qualitatively explores how teachers address social-emotional learning and how educators understand and implement SEL and art therapy in early education. This research aimed to explore how art therapy theories can support teachers in their efforts to create socially and emotionally competent early education classrooms. Data collected included anonymous surveys from current kindergarten through third-grade teachers. Through data analysis, several findings suggest that art therapists, mental health practitioners, and teachers can benefit from collaboration in increasing access and training with SEL practices. These findings open new doors for further inquiry into art therapy and SEL

Child well-being in times of confinement: the impact of dialogic literary gatherings transferred to homes

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unexpected situation that has forced people to find educational alternatives to support learning and ensure child well-being. The need for practices that 'open doors' at home as a way to promote a quality education and to foster an environment of supportive relationships and a sense of community, has led to the in-depth analysis of successful educational actions, particularly the Dialogic Literary Gatherings (DLGs). The aim of this article is to show how the transference of DLGs to the home environment has had an impact on child subjective well-being in times of confinement, promoting a safe and supportive environment for learning, interacting, coexisting and on emotional development at different educational stages, especially for the most vulnerable children. Data collection consisted of a focus group of 10 teachers, 6 semi-structured interviews addressed to families and 6 life stories of students, from 4 primary education centers, 1 high school, and 1 Special Education School. Communicative methodology structured the two-level data analysis, for studying both the elements provided by online DLGs that favor and achieve child well-being, and the elements that may hinder those achievements. The results confirm that DLGs have had a notorious impact on children's and their families' well-being. Considering the findings in the development of educational public policies and the possibility of extending 'open doors actions' as an option for future learning environments beyond the confinement situation is contemplated. Future research on how these spaces can have an impact on child well-being in upcoming contexts of the new normal in the education domain will be of interest