Single and multiple stereo view navigation for planetary rovers

© Cranfield UniversityThis thesis deals with the challenge of autonomous navigation of the ExoMars rover. The absence of global positioning systems (GPS) in space, added to the limitations of wheel odometry makes autonomous navigation based on these two techniques - as done in the literature - an inviable solution and necessitates the use of other approaches. That, among other reasons, motivates this work to use solely visual data to solve the robot’s Egomotion problem. The homogeneity of Mars’ terrain makes the robustness of the low level image processing technique a critical requirement. In the first part of the thesis, novel solutions are presented to tackle this specific problem. Detection of robust features against illumination changes and unique matching and association of features is a sought after capability. A solution for robustness of features against illumination variation is proposed combining Harris corner detection together with moment image representation. Whereas the first provides a technique for efficient feature detection, the moment images add the necessary brightness invariance. Moreover, a bucketing strategy is used to guarantee that features are homogeneously distributed within the images. Then, the addition of local feature descriptors guarantees the unique identification of image cues. In the second part, reliable and precise motion estimation for the Mars’s robot is studied. A number of successful approaches are thoroughly analysed. Visual Simultaneous Localisation And Mapping (VSLAM) is investigated, proposing enhancements and integrating it with the robust feature methodology. Then, linear and nonlinear optimisation techniques are explored. Alternative photogrammetry reprojection concepts are tested. Lastly, data fusion techniques are proposed to deal with the integration of multiple stereo view data. Our robust visual scheme allows good feature repeatability. Because of this, dimensionality reduction of the feature data can be used without compromising the overall performance of the proposed solutions for motion estimation. Also, the developed Egomotion techniques have been extensively validated using both simulated and real data collected at ESA-ESTEC facilities. Multiple stereo view solutions for robot motion estimation are introduced, presenting interesting benefits. The obtained results prove the innovative methods presented here to be accurate and reliable approaches capable to solve the Egomotion problem in a Mars environment

Fuentes grabadas del retablo de la Cofradía del Rosario en Santa María de Salvatierra

Este artículo pretende indagar en la importancia del grabado como fuente imprescindible de la obra de arte. En concreto hemos querido poner de manifiesto la trascendencia de las estampas nórdicas y flamencas en la pintura de estas tierras a través del conjunto de lienzos que componen el retablo de la Virgen del Rosario de la iglesia de Santa María en Salvatierra.Artikulu honen bidez, arte-lanean grabatuak daukan garrantzian sakondu nahi dugu. Aguraingo Santa Maria elizako Errosarioko Amabirjinaren erretaula osatzen duten margo multzoa erabili nahi izan dugu, Europako iparraldeko eta flandriako irudiek gure artean izan duten eragina azpimarratzeko.Cet article tente de déterminer limportance de la gravure comme source indispensable de l'ouvre d'art. Précisément nous avons voulu mettre en évidence la transcendance des estampes nordiques et flamandes dans la peinture de ces terres à travers l'ensemble des toiles qui composent le retable de la Vierge du Rosario de léglise de Santa María à Salvatierra.The objective of this article is to research the importance of engravings as an indispensable source of works of art. Concretely we have wanted to emphasise the importance of Nordic and Flemish scenes in the paintings of these lands by means of the set of pictures that make up the altarpiece of the Virgin of the Rosary of the Santa María church in Salvatierra

Las artes pictóricas del Neoclasicismo en Álava

Con el título de Las artes pictóricas del Neoclasicismo en Álava hemos querido abordar la producción de los pintores doradores locales durante la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII y las primeras décadas del XIX. Un período difícil de sistematizar sobre todo al enfrentarnos con maestros acostumbrados a policromar retablos e imágenes, y cuyas obras de caballete se encuentran anquilosadas en esquemas convencionales del Barroco, y en general, fuera de las corrientes imperantes en los centros de primer orden.Neoklasizismoaren margo arteak Araban titulupean, XVIII. mendearen bigarren erdiko eta XIX. aren lehen hamarkadetako tokiko margolari urreztatzaileen produkzioari heldu nahi izan diogu. Sistematizatzeko zaila gertatzen da aldi hori, batez ere erretaula eta irudiak polikromatzeko ohitura zuten maisuak aztertzerakoan, horien asto-margolanak, oro har, Barrokoaren eskema konbentzionaletan zurrundurik jarraitzen baitzuten, lehen mailako guneetan nagusi ziren joeretatik kanpo.Sous le titre de "Les arts pictoraux du Néoclassicisme en Alava" nous avons désiré aborder la production des peintres doreurs locaux durant la seconde moitié du XVIIIe siècle et les premières décennies du XIXe. Une période difficile à systématiser surtout lorsque nous nous trouvons face à des maîtres habitués à polychromer des retables et des images, et dont les oeuvres de chevalet se trouvent ankylosées dans les schémas conventionnels du Baroque, et engénéral, hors des courrants dominants dans les centres de premiers ordre.With the title of Neo-classical pictorial arts in Alava the author intends to approach the production of local guilder-painters during the second half of the 18 th century and the first decades of the 19 th century. This is a difficult period to summarise, especially when one has to include masters accustomed to polychroming altarpieces and images. Their trestle paintings, however, are ankylosed in the conventional lines of Baroque painting and, as a rule, they are outside the prevailing currents in the most important artistic centres

Aproximación a la figura del pintor Vitoriano José López de Torre (1755-1829)

El pintor alavés José López de Torre es una figura clave de las artes pictóricas del País Vasco. Alternó con destreza las labores de caballete con las de dorado y estofado. Mantuvo una producción constante desde 1775 hasta 1828, centrada en la pintura de lienzos, retablos, cajonerías o monumentos y destinada a iglesias, instituciones y particulares. Practicó el género religioso, y en todas las especialidades que ejerció se mantuvo a caballo entre la tradición barroca y la modernidad. Sus evidentes limitaciones no le impidieron sorprendernos en ocasiones con composiciones agradables.José López de Torre margolari arabarra guztiz garrantzitsua da Euskal Herriko margo arteen esparruan. Trebetasunez aldizkatu zuen asto-pinturari dagozkion lanak eta urreztatze eta estofatzearenak. Lanean jardun zuen atertu gabe 1775etik 1828ra arte, batez ere mihise, erretaula, kaxoi edo monumentuen pinturari ekinez, eliza eta erakundeak bai eta partikularrak ere hartzaileak zirela. Erlijiozko generoa izan zen harena, eta lan egin zuen espezialitate guztietan tradizio barrokoaren eta modernitatearen artean mugitu zen. Ageriko mugak bazituen ere, zenbaitetan haren obra batzuek, ustekabean, guztiz atseginak gertatzen dira.Le peintre alavais José López de Torre est une figure clé des arts picturaux du Pays Basque. Il alterna avec adresse les travaux de chevalet avec ceux de la dorure et de l'estouffade. Il maintint un production constante depuis 1775 jusqu'en 1828, centrée sur la peinture de toiles, retables, tiroirs ou monuments destinée à des églises, des institutions et des particuliers. Il pratiqua le genre religieux, et il se maintint à cheval entre la tradition baroque et la modernitédans toutes les spécialités qu'il exerça. Ses limites évidentes ne l'empêchèrent pas de nous surprendre quelquefois avec des compositions agréables.José López de Torre, painter from Alava, is a key figure in the pictorial art of the Basque Country. He skilfully alternated his work with the trestle with gilding and quilting. He maintained a constant production from 1775 until 1828, centred in the painting of linen, altarpieces or monuments intended for churches, institutions and private individuals. He practised religious painting, and in all the specialities he exercised he kept halfway between baroque tradition and modernity. His evident limitations did not prevent him from occasionally surprising us with some very agreeable compositions

Superconducting weak links in YBa2Cu3O7-δ an AC magnetic susceptibility study

AC magnetic susceptibility, X' and X'', and ac resistivity, ρ, of two different samples of superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-δ have been measured. The results show a strong non-linear behaviour and are very sensitive to the exciting amplitudes. From the analysis of the data and comparison with appropriate models and other superconducting compounds, evidence for the existence of weak superconducting links is inferred. Finally, the utility of acX measurements for detection of different superconducting phases is made evident. \u

Disappearance of Residual Dry Matter on Annual Grassland in the Absence of Grazing

Residual dry matter (RDM) is a standard used by grassland managers for assessing the level of grazing use on annual grasslands and associated savannas and woodlands. Residual dry matter is the old plant material left standing or on the ground at the beginning of a new growing season. It indicates the combined effects of the previous season\u27s forage production and its consumption by grazing animals of all types. The standard assumes that the amount of RDM remaining in the fall, subject to site conditions and variations in weather, will influence subsequent species composition and forage production, in addition to providing soil protection and protect against nutrient losses (Bartolome, et al., 2002). While RDM is measured at the beginning of a new growing season, grazing does not always occur continuously up to this time. Managers do not have information to predict the disappearance of residual dry matter due to physical and chemical breakdown during a period of non-grazing. In this study the rate of RDM disappearance during the summer (non-growing) period on annual grasslands was investigated

Volume Reduction Surgery Modification in COPD: Lessons From Lung Change in the BODE Index Reflects Disease

and services can be found online on the World Wide Web at: The online version of this article, along with updated information ). ISSN: 0012-3692

An open source framework based on Kafka-ML for Distributed DNN inference over the Cloud-to-Things continuum

The current dependency of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems on Cloud computing implies higher transmission latency and bandwidth consumption. Moreover, it challenges the real-time monitoring of physical objects, e.g., the Internet of Things (IoT). Edge systems bring computing closer to end devices and support time-sensitive applications. However, Edge systems struggle with state-of-the-art Deep Neural Networks (DNN) due to computational resource limitations. This paper proposes a technology framework that combines the Edge-Cloud architecture concept with BranchyNet advantages to support fault-tolerant and low-latency AI predictions. The implementation and evaluation of this framework allow assessing the benefits of running Distributed DNN (DDNN) in the Cloud-to-Things continuum. Compared to a Cloud-only deployment, the results obtained show an improvement of 45.34% in the response time. Furthermore, this proposal presents an extension for Kafka-ML that reduces rigidness over the Cloud-to-Things continuum managing and deploying DDNN