Electric Wheelchair Navigation Simulators: why, when, how?

International audienc

An overview of decision table literature 1982-1995.

This report gives an overview of the literature on decision tables over the past 15 years. As much as possible, for each reference, an author supplied abstract, a number of keywords and a classification are provided. In some cases own comments are added. The purpose of these comments is to show where, how and why decision tables are used. The literature is classified according to application area, theoretical versus practical character, year of publication, country or origin (not necessarily country of publication) and the language of the document. After a description of the scope of the interview, classification results and the classification by topic are presented. The main body of the paper is the ordered list of publications with abstract, classification and comments.

Facilitating the Quantitative Analysis ofComplexEvents through a Computational Intelligence Model-Driven Tool

Complex event processing (CEP) is a computational intelligence technology capable of analyzing big data streams for event pattern recognition in real time. In particular, this technology is vastly useful for analyzing multicriteria conditions in a pattern, which will trigger alerts (complex events) upon their fulfillment. However, one of the main challenges to be faced by CEP is how to define the quantitative analysis to be performed in response to the produced complex events. In this paper, we propose the use of the MEdit4CEP-CPN model-driven tool as a solution for conducting such quantitative analysis of events of interest for an application domain, without requiring knowledge of any scientific programming language for implementing the pattern conditions. Precisely, MEdit4CEP-CPN facilitates domain experts to graphically model event patterns, transform them into a Prioritized Colored Petri Net (PCPN) model, modify its initial marking depending on the application scenario, and make the quantitative analysis through the simulation and monitor capabilities provided by CPN tools

Automatic Generation Of Supply Chain Simulation Models From Scor Based Ontologies

In today\u27s economy of global markets, supply chain networks, supplier/customer relationship management and intense competition; decision makers are faced with a need to perform decision making using tools that do not accommodate the nature of the changing market. This research focuses on developing a methodology that addresses this need. The developed methodology provides supply chain decision makers with a tool to perform efficient decision making in stochastic, dynamic and distributed supply chain environments. The integrated methodology allows for informed decision making in a fast, sharable and easy to use format. The methodology was implemented by developing a stand alone tool that allows users to define a supply chain simulation model using SCOR based ontologies. The ontology includes the supply chain knowledge and the knowledge required to build a simulation model of the supply chain system. A simulation model is generated automatically from the ontology to provide the flexibility to model at various levels of details changing the model structure on the fly. The methodology implementation is demonstrated and evaluated through a retail oriented case study. When comparing the implementation using the developed methodology vs. a traditional simulation methodology approach, a significant reduction in definition and execution time was observed

Car crashes with two-wheelers in China: Proposal and assessment of C-NCAP automated emergency braking test scenarios

In China, around 15,000 users of two-wheelers (TWs) die on the road every year. Passenger cars are the dominating crash opponent of TWs in road traffic crashes. Understanding the characteristics of car crashes with TWs is essential to enhance cars’ safety performance and improve the safety of TW riders in China. This thesis has three objectives. First, to define test scenarios of Automated Emergency Braking systems for cars encountering TWs (TW-AEB) in China (Paper I). Second, to assess whether cars with good ratings in consumer safety rating programs (e.g., New Car Assessment Program: NCAP) are also likely to perform well in the real-world. Finally, to understand the characteristics of the car crashes with TWs after the TW-AEB application. To achieve the first objective, cluster analysis was applied to the China In-Depth Accident Study (CIDAS). The results were six test scenarios (Paper I), which are proposed for the Chinese NCAP (C-NCAP) TW-AEB testing. To achieve the second and third objectives, counterfactual virtual simulations were performed with and without TW-AEB to a) a C-NCAP TW-AEB test scenario set ; b) an alternative scenario set based on the results of Paper I; and c) real-world crashes in China. Results show much higher crash avoidance rate and lower impact speed were found for C-NCAP scenario set than for the other two sets. To better reflect car crashes with TW in China, longitudinal same-direction scenarios with the car or TW turning and perpendicular scenarios with high TW traveling speed are recommended to be included in C-NCAP future releases. Future work will focus on assessing the combined benefit of preventive and protective safety systems for car-to-TW crashes in China

Leadership succession, organizational climate, trust and individual performance in Nigerian commercial banks

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between leadership succession, organizational climate and individual performance in the Nigerian commercial banks. Primarily, this study explored the moderating effect of trust on the relationship between leadership succession, dimensions of organizational climate (i.e. quality, integration, and well-being) and individual performance that comprises of adaptive, task, and contextual performance. Stratified random sampling was used in which samples were drawn from six geographical zones of Nigeria (i.e. Lagos, Delta, Abia, Abuja, Kano, and Bauchi). Data was collected through the self-administrated method by sending questionnaires to 600 commercial bank branch managers within the six geographical zones selected. A total of 84 items were used in the questionnaire to examine all the variables illustrated in the theoretical framework. All the instruments were adapted from past literature. The statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 20.0 was used to test the hypotheses. The results provided support for some of the hypothesized relationships for the study. Specifically, leadership succession was positively related to adaptive performance but negatively related to task performance. Additionally, integration was also positively related to both task and contextual performance, while well-being was positively related to only task performance. Furthermore, the results of the moderating effect of trust indicated that four out of the twelve hypotheses were moderated. Therefore, the significant positive influence of leadership succession, quality, integration and well-being suggest that the variables are important in motivating individual performance. As such, employees should be encouraged to exhibit these behaviours to enhance the performance of the organization. Finally, the contribution, limitations, and implications of the study are discussed

The artificial leaf: An investigation into the sociotechnical integration of new solar energy innovations

Increasing global demand, combined with the volatility of fossil fuels, has called for a large-scale increase in renewable energy production. Photovoltaics hold significant potential, but by nature, solar energy is intermittent and lacks dispatchability. Researchers around the world are working to create innovative solutions that utilize semiconductors found in solar cell technologies in new ways. This project harnesses photoelectrochemical water-splitting, which uses light energy to dissociate water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. When the water-splitting device is submerged in saltwater and illuminated by sunlight, oxygen and hydrogen gas are produced on opposite surfaces, and can be either released or stored for later use. This device imitates the light-driven catalysts found in the chloroplasts of photosynthesizing plants, which is why it is so aptly named the artificial leaf. Stored hydrogen can be burned in a fuel cell, producing electricity with a byproduct of pure water and no greenhouse gas emissions. In the lab, two strategies to improve artificial leaves were investigated: (1) introducing a transparent, electrically-conducting scaffold made from textured SnO2:Sb to support the BiVO4 photocatalyst, and (2) applying a thin FeOOH co-catalyst coating to the BiVO4 surface to enhance the efficiency of the water-splitting process. While this product has not yet achieved optimum efficiency, experimental efforts are continuing to improve the performance of JMU artificial leaf prototypes. Once fully integrated into society, hydrogen produced from artificial leaves can be burned in small fuel cells within hydrogen-powered vehicles, while large-scale fuel cells can be used to provide both electricity and fresh water to island and coastal communities. Studying the artificial leaf as an emerging technology allows researchers to identify sociotechnical considerations through scenario crosses, the STIR protocol, systems dynamics modeling, and comparative analyses. Insights collected from experts in the field will inform project characteristics as design fictions are implemented. Existing policies, cultural views, stakeholder analyses, ethical key questions, local job/revenue creation, and the co-production of technology and society are each thoroughly explored to hypothesize how artificial leaves will be integrated into coastal communities

An Analysis of Data Quality Defects in Podcasting Systems

Podcasting has emerged as an asynchronous delay-tolerant method for the distribution of multimedia files through a network. Although podcasting has become a popular Internet application, users encounter frequent information quality problems in podcasting systems. To better understand the severity of these quality problems, we have applied the Total Data Quality Management methodology to podcasting. Through the application of this methodology we have quantified the data quality problems inherent within podcasting metadata, and performed an analysis that maps specific metadata defects to failures in popular commercial podcasting platforms. Furthermore, we extracted the Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds from the iTunes catalog for the purpose of performing the most comprehensive measurement of podcasting metadata to date. From these findings we attempted to improve the quality of podcasting data through the creation of a metadata validation tool - PodCop. PodCop extends existing RSS validation tools and encapsulates validation rules specific to the context of podcasting. We believe PodCop is the first attempt at improving the overall health of the podcasting ecosyste

An Analysis of Data Quality Defects in Podcasting Systems

Podcasting has emerged as an asynchronous delay-tolerant method for the distribution of multimedia files through a network. Although podcasting has become a popular Internet application, users encounter frequent information quality problems in podcasting systems. To better understand the severity of these quality problems, we have applied the Total Data Quality Management methodology to podcasting. Through the application of this methodology we have quantified the data quality problems inherent within podcasting metadata, and performed an analysis that maps specific metadata defects to failures in popular commercial podcasting platforms. Furthermore, we extracted the Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds from the iTunes catalog for the purpose of performing the most comprehensive measurement of podcasting metadata to date. From these findings we attempted to improve the quality of podcasting data through the creation of a metadata validation tool - PodCop. PodCop extends existing RSS validation tools and encapsulates validation rules specific to the context of podcasting. We believe PodCop is the first attempt at improving the overall health of the podcasting ecosyste