126 research outputs found
Advances and Applications of DSmT for Information Fusion. Collected Works, Volume 5
This fifth volume on Advances and Applications of DSmT for Information Fusion collects theoretical and applied contributions of researchers working in different fields of applications and in mathematics, and is available in open-access. The collected contributions of this volume have either been published or presented after disseminating the fourth volume in 2015 in international conferences, seminars, workshops and journals, or they are new. The contributions of each part of this volume are chronologically ordered.
First Part of this book presents some theoretical advances on DSmT, dealing mainly with modified Proportional Conflict Redistribution Rules (PCR) of combination with degree of intersection, coarsening techniques, interval calculus for PCR thanks to set inversion via interval analysis (SIVIA), rough set classifiers, canonical decomposition of dichotomous belief functions, fast PCR fusion, fast inter-criteria analysis with PCR, and improved PCR5 and PCR6 rules preserving the (quasi-)neutrality of (quasi-)vacuous belief assignment in the fusion of sources of evidence with their Matlab codes.
Because more applications of DSmT have emerged in the past years since the apparition of the fourth book of DSmT in 2015, the second part of this volume is about selected applications of DSmT mainly in building change detection, object recognition, quality of data association in tracking, perception in robotics, risk assessment for torrent protection and multi-criteria decision-making, multi-modal image fusion, coarsening techniques, recommender system, levee characterization and assessment, human heading perception, trust assessment, robotics, biometrics, failure detection, GPS systems, inter-criteria analysis, group decision, human activity recognition, storm prediction, data association for autonomous vehicles, identification of maritime vessels, fusion of support vector machines (SVM), Silx-Furtif RUST code library for information fusion including PCR rules, and network for ship classification.
Finally, the third part presents interesting contributions related to belief functions in general published or presented along the years since 2015. These contributions are related with decision-making under uncertainty, belief approximations, probability transformations, new distances between belief functions, non-classical multi-criteria decision-making problems with belief functions, generalization of Bayes theorem, image processing, data association, entropy and cross-entropy measures, fuzzy evidence numbers, negator of belief mass, human activity recognition, information fusion for breast cancer therapy, imbalanced data classification, and hybrid techniques mixing deep learning with belief functions as well
Randomized Control Trials in the Field of Development
In October 2019, Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and Michael Kremer jointly won the 51st Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel "for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty." But what is the exact scope of their experimental method, known as randomized control trials (RCTs)? Which sorts of questions are RCTs able to address and which do they fail to answer? This book provides answers to these questions, explaining how RCTs work, what they can achieve, why they sometimes fail, how they can be improved and why other methods are both useful and necessary. Chapters contributed by leading specialists in the field present a full and coherent picture of the main strengths and weaknesses of RCTs in the field of development. Looking beyond the epistemological, political, and ethical differences underlying many of the disagreements surrounding RCTs, it explores the implementation of RCTs on the ground, outside of their ideal theoretical conditions and reveals some unsuspected uses and effects, their disruptive potential, but also their political uses. The contributions uncover the implicit worldview that many RCTs draw on and disseminate, and probe the gap between the method's narrow scope and its success, while also proposing improvements and alternatives. This book warns against the potential dangers of their excessive use, arguing that the best use for RCTs is not necessarily that which immediately springs to mind, and offering opportunity to come to an informed and reasoned judgement on RCTs and what they can bring to development
A Mechanical Hand-Tracking System with Tactile Feedback Designed for Telemanipulation
: In this paper, we present a mechanical hand-tracking system with tactile feedback designed for fine manipulation in teleoperation scenarios. Alternative tracking methods based on artificial vision and data gloves have become an asset for virtual reality interaction. Yet, occlusions, lack of precision, and the absence of effective haptic feedback beyond vibrotactile still appear as a limit for teleoperation applications. In this work, we propose a methodology to design a linkage mechanism for hand pose tracking purposes, preserving complete finger mobility. Presentation of the method is followed by design and implementation of a working prototype, and by evaluation of the tracking accuracy using optical markers. Moreover, a teleoperation experiment involving a dexterous robotic arm and hand was proposed to ten participants. It investigated the effectiveness and repeatability of the hand tracking with combined haptic feedback during a proposed pick and place manipulation tasks
Managing and Monitoring the Menopausal Body
This Essay explores how menopausal bodies are managed and monitored in contemporary U.S. culture. The focus is on two distinct aspects of that management and monitoring: menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and the burgeoning market for technology-driven menopause products and services. While each of these allegedly improves the menopause experience, a closer investigation reveals a more complex interaction of profit motives and traditional notions of gender identity. The Essay identifies problems with current medical and business practices and suggests a role for law in destigmatizing menopause, ensuring availability and safety of MHT, and enhancing privacy for users of menopause-oriented apps and digital services
Careful consideration of menopause brings this Essay into ongoing conversations about theorizing beyond the gender binary and stereotypical notions of femininity. Purveyors of both MHT and menopause-related digital products and services appeal to mostly cisgender women by emphasizing ideas of youthfulness, attractiveness, and sexual desirability. We locate these profit seekers within “menopause capitalism,” the marketing and selling of menopause-related products through messages that celebrate autonomy, community, or femininity from entities that are, at their core, commercial enterprises
Path of awareness: the relationship between mindfulness and place
Mindfulness meditation has been increasingly used as a tool to address both physical and mental health issues in contemporary society and has gained growing interest and application in various fields. Meanwhile, designers have attempted to use architectural design to help improve people's well-being. However, the relationship between dedicated mindfulness practice and the physical environment in which it is practised awaits further exploration. This study aimed to investigate how spatial design can facilitate formal mindfulness practice. To do so, this research examined a wide range of literature, including related mindfulness theories originating in the Buddhist tradition, architectural and landscape design, and environmental psychology. It established an initial research framework for empirical study and application.
The study first distributed an online survey to over 200 mindfulness practitioners in the UK to gain a quantitative understanding of their views toward the environment in which they practised mindfulness. The case study method was then adopted to explore this topic further. The case of Kagyu Samye Dzong London was selected to qualitatively investigate the influence of a specifically dedicated space for mindfulness and whether setting up a specific space for practice is necessary. Empirical data was collected through spatial analysis, an online questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. The results were analysed using architectural interpretation, IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) Statistics means analysis and factor analysis (version 27.0), and the Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) NVivo (version 11). This research conducted a comprehensive comparison of mindfulness practitioners based on factors such as expertise level (beginner/proficient), religious background (Buddhist/non-Buddhist) practice frequency, and gender, aiming to gain diverse perspectives on how the environment can effectively facilitate mindfulness practice.
The findings of this empirical research provided a systematic and refined research framework consisting of nine main factors, achieved through the quantification of qualitative research. Not only it suggested that setting up a specific physical environment for mindfulness practice is necessary, especially for beginners, but it also provided the order of impact for the elements. Among the elements, quietness was among the top for positively influencing mindfulness meditation; second, the use of tools (such as meditation cushion); and third, the warm room ambience. This framework provided guidance for both designers and mindfulness practitioners to change the environment and better facilitate mindfulness meditation – which leads to long term well-being. Such physical environment, like mindfulness practices itself, is a tool to help people reach their goals. Hence, people would be encouraged to go beyond physical boundaries and obtain awareness, happiness, and well-being with the support given. To sum up, this research holds both academic and practical significance as it enriches the existing field of architectural design through its systematic review and empirical framework. Furthermore, it provides an accessible toolkit for individual practitioners to enhance their mindfulness practice
Radical Roots
While all history has the potential to be political, public history is uniquely so: public historians engage in historical inquiry outside the bubble of scholarly discourse, relying on social networks, political goals, practices, and habits of mind that differ from traditional historians. Radical Roots: Public History and a Tradition of Social Justice Activism theorizes and defines public history as future-focused, committed to the advancement of social justice, and engaged in creating a more inclusive public record. Edited by Denise D. Meringolo and with contributions from the field’s leading figures, this groundbreaking collection addresses major topics such as museum practices, oral history, grassroots preservation, and community-based learning. It demonstrates the core practices that have shaped radical public history, how they have been mobilized to promote social justice, and how public historians can facilitate civic discourse in order to promote equality
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