All conformally flat pure radiation metrics

The complete class of conformally flat, pure radiation metrics is given, generalising the metric recently given by Wils.Comment: 7 pages, plain Te

Multimodal Signal Processing and Learning Aspects of Human-Robot Interaction for an Assistive Bathing Robot

We explore new aspects of assistive living on smart human-robot interaction (HRI) that involve automatic recognition and online validation of speech and gestures in a natural interface, providing social features for HRI. We introduce a whole framework and resources of a real-life scenario for elderly subjects supported by an assistive bathing robot, addressing health and hygiene care issues. We contribute a new dataset and a suite of tools used for data acquisition and a state-of-the-art pipeline for multimodal learning within the framework of the I-Support bathing robot, with emphasis on audio and RGB-D visual streams. We consider privacy issues by evaluating the depth visual stream along with the RGB, using Kinect sensors. The audio-gestural recognition task on this new dataset yields up to 84.5%, while the online validation of the I-Support system on elderly users accomplishes up to 84% when the two modalities are fused together. The results are promising enough to support further research in the area of multimodal recognition for assistive social HRI, considering the difficulties of the specific task. Upon acceptance of the paper part of the data will be publicly available

Invariant classification and the generalised invariant formalism: conformally flat pure radiation metrics, with zero cosmological constant

Metrics obtained by integrating within the generalised invariant formalism are structured around their intrinsic coordinates, and this considerably simplifies their invariant classification and symmetry analysis. We illustrate this by presenting a simple and transparent complete invariant classification of the conformally flat pure radiation metrics (except plane waves) in such intrinsic coordinates; in particular we confirm that the three apparently non-redundant functions of one variable are genuinely non-redundant, and easily identify the subclasses which admit a Killing and/or a homothetic Killing vector. Most of our results agree with the earlier classification carried out by Skea in the different Koutras-McIntosh coordinates, which required much more involved calculations; but there are some subtle differences. Therefore, we also rework the classification in the Koutras-McIntosh coordinates, and by paying attention to some of the subtleties involving arbitrary functions, we are able to obtain complete agreement with the results obtained in intrinsic coordinates. In particular, we have corrected and completed statements and results by Edgar and Vickers, and by Skea, about the orders of Cartan invariants at which particular information becomes available.Comment: Extended version of GRG publication, with some typos etc correcte

Goitre and Iodine Deficiency in Europe

The prevalence of endemic iodine-deficiency goitre in Europe has been reduced in many areas by the introduction of iodination programmes. Recent reports, however, show that goitre remains a significant problem and that its prevalence has not decreased in a number of European countries. Hetzel1 has pointed out that the high global prevalence of iodine-deficiency disorders could be eradicated within 5-10 years by introduction of an iodised salt programme. The current World Health Organisation recommendations for iodine intake are between 150 and 300 μg/da

On limits of spacetimes -- a coordinate-free approach

A coordinate-free approach to limits of spacetimes is developed. The limits of the Schwarzschild metric as the mass parameter tends to 0 or $\infty$ are studied, extending previous results. Besides the known Petrov type D and 0 limits, three vacuum plane-wave solutions of Petrov type N are found to be limits of the Schwarzschild spacetime.Comment: 19 p

On the Symmetries of the Edgar-Ludwig Metric

The conformal Killing equations for the most general (non-plane wave) conformally flat pure radiation field are solved to find the conformal Killing vectors. As expected fifteen independent conformal Killing vectors exist, but in general the metric admits no Killing or homothetic vectors. However for certain special cases a one-dimensional group of homotheties or motions may exist and in one very special case, overlooked by previous investigators, a two-dimensional homethety group exists. No higher dimensional groups of motions or homotheties are admitted by these metrics.Comment: Plain TeX, 7 pages, No figure

Self-similar Bianchi type VIII and IX models

It is shown that in transitively self-similar spatially homogeneous tilted perfect fluid models the symmetry vector is not normal to the surfaces of spatial homogeneity. A direct consequence of this result is that there are no self-similar Bianchi VIII and IX tilted perfect fluid models. Furthermore the most general Bianchi VIII and IX spacetime which admit a four dimensional group of homotheties is given.Comment: 5 pages, Latex; One reference and minor clarifications added. To appear in General Relativity and Gravitatio

Interpreting a conformally flat pure radiation space-time

A physical interpretation is presented of the general class of conformally flat pure radiation metrics that has recently been identified by Edgar and Ludwig. It is shown that, at least in the weak field limit, successive wave surfaces can be represented as null (half) hyperplanes rolled around a two-dimensional null cone. In the impulsive limit, the solution reduces to a pp-wave whose direction of propagation depends on retarded time. In the general case, there is a coordinate singularity which corresponds to an envelope of the wave surfaces. The global structure is discussed and a possible vacuum extension through the envelope is proposed.Comment: 9 pages, Plain TeX, 2 figures. To appear in Class. Quantum Grav. Reference adde

Axial symmetry and conformal Killing vectors

Axisymmetric spacetimes with a conformal symmetry are studied and it is shown that, if there is no further conformal symmetry, the axial Killing vector and the conformal Killing vector must commute. As a direct consequence, in conformally stationary and axisymmetric spacetimes, no restriction is made by assuming that the axial symmetry and the conformal timelike symmetry commute. Furthermore, we prove that in axisymmetric spacetimes with another symmetry (such as stationary and axisymmetric or cylindrically symmetric spacetimes) and a conformal symmetry, the commutator of the axial Killing vector with the two others mush vanish or else the symmetry is larger than that originally considered. The results are completely general and do not depend on Einstein's equations or any particular matter content.Comment: 15 pages, Latex, no figure

On the limits of Brans-Dicke spacetimes: a coordinate-free approach

We investigate the limit of Brans-Dicke spacetimes as the scalar field coupling constant omega tends to infinity applying a coordinate-free technique. We obtain the limits of some known exact solutions. It is shown that these limits may not correspond to similar solutions in the general relativity theory.Comment: LaTeX, 16 pp, report DF/UFPB/02-9