Final report on the evaluation of RRM/CRRM algorithms

Deliverable public del projecte EVERESTThis deliverable provides a definition and a complete evaluation of the RRM/CRRM algorithms selected in D11 and D15, and evolved and refined on an iterative process. The evaluation will be carried out by means of simulations using the simulators provided at D07, and D14.Preprin

AXEL: A framework to deal with ambiguity in three-noun compounds

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 6/12/2010.Cognitive Linguistics has been widely used to deal with the ambiguity generated by words in combination. Although this domain offers many solutions to address this challenge, not all of them can be implemented in a computational environment. The Dynamic Construal of Meaning framework is argued to have this ability because it describes an intrinsic degree of association of meanings, which in turn, can be translated into computational programs. A limitation towards a computational approach, however, has been the lack of syntactic parameters. This research argues that this limitation could be overcome with the aid of the Generative Lexicon Theory (GLT). Specifically, this dissertation formulated possible means to marry the GLT and Cognitive Linguistics in a novel rapprochement between the two. This bond between opposing theories provided the means to design a computational template (the AXEL System) by realising syntax and semantics at software levels. An instance of the AXEL system was created using a Design Research approach. Planned iterations were involved in the development to improve artefact performance. Such iterations boosted performance-improving, which accounted for the degree of association of meanings in three-noun compounds. This dissertation delivered three major contributions on the brink of a so-called turning point in Computational Linguistics (CL). First, the AXEL system was used to disclose hidden lexical patterns on ambiguity. These patterns are difficult, if not impossible, to be identified without automatic techniques. This research claimed that these patterns can assist audiences of linguists to review lexical knowledge on a software-based viewpoint. Following linguistic awareness, the second result advocated for the adoption of improved resources by decreasing electronic space of Sense Enumerative Lexicons (SELs). The AXEL system deployed the generation of “at the moment of use” interpretations, optimising the way the space is needed for lexical storage. Finally, this research introduced a subsystem of metrics to characterise an ambiguous degree of association of three-noun compounds enabling ranking methods. Weighing methods delivered mechanisms of classification of meanings towards Word Sense Disambiguation (WSD). Overall these results attempted to tackle difficulties in understanding studies of Lexical Semantics via software tools

Smart Technology for Telerehabilitation: A Smart Device Inertial-sensing Method for Gait Analysis

The aim of this work was to develop and validate an iPod Touch (4th generation) as a potential ambulatory monitoring system for clinical and non-clinical gait analysis. This thesis comprises four interrelated studies, the first overviews the current available literature on wearable accelerometry-based technology (AT) able to assess mobility-related functional activities in subjects with neurological conditions in home and community settings. The second study focuses on the detection of time-accurate and robust gait features from a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the lower back, establishing a reference framework in the process. The third study presents a simple step length algorithm for straight-line walking and the fourth and final study addresses the accuracy of an iPod’s inertial-sensing capabilities, more specifically, the validity of an inertial-sensing method (integrated in an iPod) to obtain time-accurate vertical lower trunk displacement measures. The systematic review revealed that present research primarily focuses on the development of accurate methods able to identify and distinguish different functional activities. While these are important aims, much of the conducted work remains in laboratory environments, with relatively little research moving from the “bench to the bedside.” This review only identified a few studies that explored AT’s potential outside of laboratory settings, indicating that clinical and real-world research significantly lags behind its engineering counterpart. In addition, AT methods are largely based on machine-learning algorithms that rely on a feature selection process. However, extracted features depend on the signal output being measured, which is seldom described. It is, therefore, difficult to determine the accuracy of AT methods without characterizing gait signals first. Furthermore, much variability exists among approaches (including the numbers of body-fixed sensors and sensor locations) to obtain useful data to analyze human movement. From an end-user’s perspective, reducing the amount of sensors to one instrument that is attached to a single location on the body would greatly simplify the design and use of the system. With this in mind, the accuracy of formerly identified or gait events from a single IMU attached to the lower trunk was explored. The study’s analysis of the trunk’s vertical and anterior-posterior acceleration pattern (and of their integrands) demonstrates, that a combination of both signals may provide more nuanced information regarding a person’s gait cycle, ultimately permitting more clinically relevant gait features to be extracted. Going one step further, a modified step length algorithm based on a pendulum model of the swing leg was proposed. By incorporating the trunk’s anterior-posterior displacement, more accurate predictions of mean step length can be made in healthy subjects at self-selected walking speeds. Experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm estimates step length with errors less than 3% (mean error of 0.80 ± 2.01cm). The performance of this algorithm, however, still needs to be verified for those suffering from gait disturbances. Having established a referential framework for the extraction of temporal gait parameters as well as an algorithm for step length estimations from one instrument attached to the lower trunk, the fourth and final study explored the inertial-sensing capabilities of an iPod Touch. With the help of Dr. Ian Sheret and Oxford Brookes’ spin-off company ‘Wildknowledge’, a smart application for the iPod Touch was developed. The study results demonstrate that the proposed inertial-sensing method can reliably derive lower trunk vertical displacement (intraclass correlations ranging from .80 to .96) with similar agreement measurement levels to those gathered by a conventional inertial sensor (small systematic error of 2.2mm and a typical error of 3mm). By incorporating the aforementioned methods, an iPod Touch can potentially serve as a novel ambulatory monitor system capable of assessing gait in clinical and non-clinical environments

Water, Sanitation and Agriculture : Linkages and Impacts on Health and Nutrition Outcomes in Rural Ethiopia

In rural areas access to improved water supply is inadequate; consequently, most households rely on unimproved water sources, including unprotected wells/springs, streams, and surface water, which are easily polluted by human and animal feces. Moreover, irrigated agriculture has complex interactions with water supply and sanitation (WATSAN) services as separate sources of water for drinking and for agricultural use do not exist in several areas. For this analysis, a household survey has been conducted in rural areas of Fogera and Mecha districts of Ethiopia between February and June 2014. A sample of 454 agricultural households was randomly selected using a stratified two-stage cluster sampling method. The survey collected a range of information including anthropometric measures for under-five children to examine child nutritional status. In addition, assessment of the microbial quality of stored drinking water and community water sources were undertaken. The number of Escherichia coli (E.coli) colony-forming units per 100ml water was used as an indicator of fecal contamination, and the results demonstrate that 58 percent of household stored water samples and 74 percent of water sources were contaminated with E.coli. Our results also show that uncontaminated household storage water and safe child stool disposal decrease incidence of child diarrhea by 15 and 23 percentage points, respectively. In contrast, neighborhood concentration of pit latrine increases the incidence of child diarrhea by 13 percentage points. The latter result casts serious doubt on the assumed health and social benefits of moving from open to fixed-location defecation. Creating open defecation free communities in rural areas is not enough to achieve the desired health benefits of sanitation. To protect rural households from the risk of contracting communicable diseases, existing pit latrines should be upgraded to make them safer to use –fly-proofed and hygienic. Using anthropometric measures of under-five children, our results show that WATSAN services are strongly associated with improved weight-for-age z-score but its correlation with height-for-age z-score is not statistically significant at any of the conventional levels. Dietary diversification of child feeding practice and health indicator variables, such as number of antenatal care visits and delivery with a health professional, turn out to be strong predictors of both nutritional outcome measures. On the other hand, although the domestic use of irrigation water significantly increases household’s overall morbidity status except for diarrhea, it substantially reduces the burden of time spend on water collection for women. Recognizing the multiple-use of water resources in rural areas where access to improved water supply is inadequate or where there is only one water source for all household needs would be vital to design the right intervention. Promoting improved WATSAN from ‘farm to fork’ through water source protection, appropriate water-lifting technologies, ensuring households do not use irrigation runoff for drinking, and adopting household water treatment and safe storage to reduce microbiological contamination so that the health risks associated with domestic use of irrigation water may be minimized

Design and Simulation of the guidance and control system for an F-86 Sabre

[ES] El alumno desarrollará el sistema de guidado y control del F-86, basándose en técnicas de control multivariables en espacio de estados. Asimismo, desarrollará estrategias de planificación de trayectorias óptimas offline para la el guiado de la aeronave.[EN] The student will develop the guidance and control system of the F-86, basing on mutivariable control techniques in state-space. Furthermore, he will develop offline optimal path planning strategies for the guidance of the aircraft.Ortiz Moya, Á. (2020). Design and Simulation of the guidance and control system for an F-86 Sabre. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/153251TFG