Visual-Inertial SLAM for Precise 3D Mapping of Underground Environments

2012 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium 3-7 June, Alcala de Henares, SpainThe underground scenarios are one of the most challenging environments for accurate and precise 3D mapping where hostile conditions like absence of Global Positioning Systems, extreme lighting variations and geometrically smooth surfaces may be expected. So far, the state-of-the-art methods in underground modelling remain restricted to environments in which pronounced geometric features are abundant. This limitation is a consequence of the scan matching algorithms used to solve the localization and registration problems. This paper contributes to the expansion of the modelling capabilities to structures characterized by uniform geometry and smooth surfaces, as is the case of road and train tunnels. To achieve that, we combine some state of the art techniques from mobile robotics, and propose a method for 6DOF platform positioning in such scenarios, that is latter used for the environment modelling. A visual monocular Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (MonoSLAM) approach based on the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), complemented by the introduction of inertial measurements in the prediction step, allows our system to localize himself over long distances, using exclusively sensors carried on board a mobile platform. By feeding the Extended Kalman Filter with inertial data we were able to overcome the major problem related with MonoSLAM implementations, known as scale factor ambiguity. Despite extreme lighting variations, reliable visual features were extracted through the SIFT algorithm, and inserted directly in the EKF mechanism according to the Inverse Depth Parametrization. Through the 1-Point RANSAC (Random Sample Consensus) wrong frame-to-frame feature matches were rejected. The developed method was tested based on a dataset acquired inside a road tunnel and the navigation results compared with a ground truth obtained by post-processing a high grade Inertial Navigation System and L1/L2 RTK-GPS outside the tunnel. Results from the localization strategy and the modelling process are presented.N/

Una revisión sistemática de las ventajas de la implementación de la logística verde en las industrias de Latinoamérica en el último decenio: una revisión de la literatura científica

La presente investigación nace a raíz de la tendencia actual de las organizaciones a nivel mundial, de operar y realizar sus actividades económicas, considerando los impactos ambientales que devienen de estas para la generación de un bien o servicio, y se obtenga un desarrollo sostenible. Es así que, se ha tomado como referente a la Logística verde aplicada en las industrias a nivel de Latinoamérica en la última década, para dar a conocer en cuál de ellas se aplica, los problemas que motivaron a dichas investigaciones, sus propuestas y los beneficios que se obtienen por la implementación. .Para la recopilación de información se accedió a fuentes como Google académico, Scielo, Redalyc y Dialnet, entre tesis, artículos de investigación y revistas científicas que databan a partir del 2009; estableciendo criterios de búsqueda relacionadas a la Logística verde, entre las cuales se encuentran Logística inversa, logística reversa, tendencia ambiental, producción más limpia. De todos los documentos seleccionados, se extrajeron las informaciones que daban respuesta a nuestras preguntas, para consolidarlas en un primer y segundo cuadro comparativo; este último relacionando las respuestas comunes del inicial de manera sistemática. Los resultados que se obtuvieron consideran que la logística verde puede ser aplicada en las distintas industrias que generalmente parten de un problema de deficiencia de la gestión de la cadena de suministro y para ello, se postula la implementación de logística inversa, obteniéndose beneficios económicos, sociales y medioambientales. Se concluye entonces que a través de la implementación de logística verde es posible obtener un desarrollo sostenible para las organizaciones.The research is born from the current tendency of organizations worldwide, to operate and perform their economic activities, considering the environmental impacts that result from these for the generation of a good or service, and obtain a sustainable development. Thus, it has been taken as a reference to green logistics applied in industries in Latin America in the last decade, to make known in which of them applies, the problems that motivated such research, its proposals and benefits that are obtained by the implementation. For the collection of information, sources such as Academic Google, Scielo, Redalyc and Dialnet were accessed, among theses, research articles and scientific journals dating since 2009; establishing criteria of search with keywords related to green logistics, among which are reverse logistics, reverse logistics, environmental trend, cleaner production. Of all the selected documents, informations that answered our questions was extracted, to consolidate them in a first and second comparative table; the latter relating the common responses of the initial in a systematic way. The results obtained consider that green logistics can be applied in the different industries that generally start from a problem of supply chain management deficiency and for this the implementation of reverse logistics is postulated, obtaining economic, social and environmental benefits. It is concluded that through the implementation of green logistics it is possible to obtain sustainable development for organizations

Real-time GNSS precise positioning: RTKLIB for ROS

The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) constitutes an effective and affordable solution to the outdoor positioning problem. When combined with precise positioning techniques, such as the real time kinematic (RTK), centimeter-level positioning accuracy becomes a reality. Such performance is suitable for a whole new range of demanding applications, including high-accuracy field robotics operations. The RTKRCV, part of the RTKLIB package, is one of the most popular open-source solutions for real-time GNSS precise positioning. Yet the lack of integration with the robot operating system (ROS), constitutes a limitation on its adoption by the robotics community. This article addresses this limitation, reporting a new implementation which brings the RTKRCV capabilities into ROS. New features, including ROS publishing and control over a ROS service, were introduced seamlessly, to ensure full compatibility with all original options. Additionally, a new observation synchronization scheme improves solution consistency, particularly relevant for the moving-baseline positioning mode. Real application examples are presented to demonstrate the advantages of our rtkrcv_ros package. For community benefit, the software was released as an open-source package.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work is financed by National Funds through the Portuguese funding agency, FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, within project UIDB/50014/2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mental health policy in Brazil: what's at stake in the changes currently under way

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Zero Tolerance for Coercion? Historical, Cultural and Organisational Contexts for Effective Implementation of Coercion-Free Mental Health Services around the World

Funding Information: Funding: Deborah Oyine Aluh is a PhD student receiving the support of a PhD fellowship from “la Caixa” Foundation (LCF/BQ/DI20/11780013). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.Coercion of service users/patients when receiving care and treatment has been a serious dilemma for mental health services since at least the 18th century, and the debate about how best to minimise or even eradicate compulsion remains intense. Coercion is now, once again and rightly, at the top of the international policy agenda and the COST Action ‘FOSTREN’ is one example of a renewed commitment by service user advocates, practitioners and researchers to move forward in seriously addressing this problem. The focus of service improvement efforts has moved from pure innovation to practical implementation of effective interventions based on an understanding of the historical, cultural and political realities in which mental health services operate. These realities and their impact on the potential for change vary between countries across Europe and beyond. This article provides a novel overview by focusing on the historical, cultural and political contexts which relate to successful implementation primarily in Europe, North America and Australasia so that policy and practice in these and other regions can be adopted with an awareness of these potentially relevant factors. It also outlines some key aspects of current knowledge about the leading coercion-reduction interventions which might be considered when redesigning mental health services.publishersversionpublishe

Days out of role due to common physical and mental conditions in Portugal: results from the WHO World Mental Health Survey

Funding: The Portuguese Mental Health Study was carried out by the Department of Mental Health, NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, with collaboration of the CESOP – Portuguese Catholic University and was funded by the Champalimaud Foundation, the Gulbenkian Foundation, the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Ministry of Health. The Portuguese Mental Health Study was carried out in conjunction with the World Health Organization WMH Survey Initiative which is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH; R01 MH070884), the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Pfizer Foundation, the U.S. Public Health Service (R13-MH066849, R01-MH069864 and R01 DA016558), the Fogarty International Center (FIRCA R03-TW006481), the Pan American Health Organization, Eli Lilly and Company, OrthoMcNeil Pharmaceutical, GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol-Myers Squibb.publishersversionpublishe

A field trial of a PCR-based Mansonella ozzardi diagnosis assay detects high-levels of submicroscopic M. ozzardi infections in both venous blood samples and FTA® card dried blood spots

BACKGROUND: Mansonella ozzardi is a poorly understood human filarial parasite with a broad distribution throughout Latin America. Most of what is known about its parasitism has come from epidemiological studies that have estimated parasite incidence using light microscopy. Light microscopy can, however, miss lighter, submicroscopic, infections. In this study we have compared M. ozzardi incidence estimates made using light microscopy, with estimates made using PCR. METHODS: 214 DNA extracts made from Large Volume Venous Blood Samples (LVVBS) were taken from volunteers from two study sites in the Rio Solimões region: Codajás [n = 109] and Tefé [n = 105] and were subsequently assayed for M. ozzardi parasitism using a diagnostic PCR (Mo-dPCR). Peripheral finger-prick blood samples were taken from the same individuals and used for microscopic examination. Finger-prick blood, taken from individuals from Tefé, was also used for the creation of FTAcard dried blood spots (DBS) that were subsequently subjected to Mo-dPCR. RESULTS: Overall M. ozzardi incidence estimates made with LVVBS PCRs were 1.8 times higher than those made using microscopy (44.9% [96/214] compared with 24.3% [52/214]) and 1.5 times higher than the PCR estimates made from FTAcard DBS (48/105 versus 31/105). PCR-based detection of FTAcard DBS proved 1.3 times more sensitive at diagnosing infections from peripheral blood samples than light microscopy did: detecting 24/105 compared with 31/105. PCR of LVVBS reported the fewest number of false negatives, detecting: 44 of 52 (84.6%) individuals diagnosed by microscopy; 27 of 31 (87.1%) of those diagnosed positive from DBSs and 17 out of 18 (94.4%) of those diagnosed as positive by both alternative methodologies. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, Mo-dPCR of LVVBS was by far the most sensitive method of detecting M. ozzardi infections and detected submicroscopic infections. Mo-dPCR FTAcard DBS also provided a more sensitive test for M. ozzardi diagnosis than light microscopy based diagnosis did and thus in settings where only finger-prick assays can be carried-out, it may be a more reliable method of detection. Most existing M. ozzardi incidence estimates, which are often based on light microscope diagnosis, are likely to dramatically underestimate true M. ozzardi parasitism incidence levels.Jansen Fernandes de Medeiros had financial support from edital PPSUS FAPEAM/SUSAM/MS/CNPq 007/2009. FAPEAM also provided finical support for the work of: Tatiana Amaral Pires de Almeida; Lucyane Bastos Tavares da Silva and J. Lee Crainey. The authors would like to thank Ricardo Mota and personal at Tefé for their technical assistance and two referees for their useful comments, which have helped to improve the manuscript. This paper is contribution number 23 of the Research Programme on Infectious Disease Ecology in the Amazon (RP-IDEA) of the Instituto Leônidas and Maria Deane—Fiocruz Amazônia.S