THREAD: A programming environment for interactive planning-level robotics applications

THREAD programming language, which was developed to meet the needs of researchers in developing robotics applications that perform such tasks as grasp, trajectory design, sensor data analysis, and interfacing with external subsystems in order to perform servo-level control of manipulators and real time sensing is discussed. The philosophy behind THREAD, the issues which entered into its design, and the features of the language are discussed from the viewpoint of researchers who want to develop algorithms in a simulation environment, and from those who want to implement physical robotics systems. The detailed functions of the many complex robotics algorithms and tools which are part of the language are not explained, but an overall impression of their capability is given

Sex-related differences in autonomous learning behaviours and mathematics achievement

The autonomous learning behaviour model proposed by Fennema and Peterson (1985a, 1985b) hypothesises that sex- related differences in mathematics are a result of sex-related differences in autonomous learning behaviours. Autonomous learning behaviours include choosing to engage in high-level tasks, preferring to work independently on such tasks and persisting at them. The purpose of this study was to investigate sex-related differences in autonomous learning behaviours and to determine any relationship between the presence of these behaviours and achievement in mathematics. Twelve students studying the Year 1 unit Foundations of Mathematics were selected for the study, including two males and two females from each of the achievement levels; low, medium and high. They were given a number of mathematics problems and asked to think aloud while solving them. Scales were developed to identify the extent to which the students exhibited each of the autonomous learning behaviours while working on the mathematics problems. The students were also interviewed about their usual behaviours and preferences regarding mathematics. It was observed that the males in this study chase to engage in more high-level tasks than the females. Sex-related differences in independence were observed only between the medium-achieving males and females. No sex-related differences were found in the degree of persistence exhibited by the students. Differences between achievement levels were observed on the measure of persistence, but not on the other autonomous learning behaviours. The most autonomous students in this study were found to be medium-achieving males. The results of this study revealed some consistencies and some inconsistencies with both the autonomous learning behaviour model and previous research in the fiel

Experiences with the JPL telerobot testbed: Issues and insights

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Telerobot Testbed is an integrated robotic testbed used to develop, implement, and evaluate the performance of advanced concepts in autonomous, tele-autonomous, and tele-operated control of robotic manipulators. Using the Telerobot Testbed, researchers demonstrated several of the capabilities and technological advances in the control and integration of robotic systems which have been under development at JPL for several years. In particular, the Telerobot Testbed was recently employed to perform a near completely automated, end-to-end, satellite grapple and repair sequence. The task of integrating existing as well as new concepts in robot control into the Telerobot Testbed has been a very difficult and timely one. Now that researchers have completed the first major milestone (i.e., the end-to-end demonstration) it is important to reflect back upon experiences and to collect the knowledge that has been gained so that improvements can be made to the existing system. It is also believed that the experiences are of value to the others in the robotics community. Therefore, the primary objective here will be to use the Telerobot Testbed as a case study to identify real problems and technological gaps which exist in the areas of robotics and in particular systems integration. Such problems have surely hindered the development of what could be reasonably called an intelligent robot. In addition to identifying such problems, researchers briefly discuss what approaches have been taken to resolve them or, in several cases, to circumvent them until better approaches can be developed

Experiment in validation of two personality tests in middle grades

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University, 1946. This item was digitized by the Internet Archive

Analyzing Contents of a Computer Cache

The Cache Contents Estimator (CCE) is a computer program that provides information on the contents of level-1 cache of a PowerPC computer. The CCE is configurable to enable simulation of any processor in the PowerPC family. The need for CCE arises because the contents of level-1 caches are not available to either hardware or software readout mechanisms, yet information on the contents is crucial in the development of fault-tolerant or highly available computing systems and for realistic modeling and prediction of computing- system performance. The CCE comprises two independent subprograms: (1) the Dynamic Application Address eXtractor (DAAX), which extracts the stream of address references from an application program undergoing execution and (2) the Cache Simulator (CacheSim), which models the level-1 cache of the processor to be analyzed, by mimicking what the cache controller would do, in response to the address stream from DAAX. CacheSim generates a running estimate of the contents of the data and the instruction subcaches of the level-1 cache, hit/miss ratios, the percentage of cache that contains valid or active data, and time-stamped histograms of the cache content

Quick Mobile Power Unit Trailer Connections

This Final Design Review document encompasses the entirety of a sponsored senior project which was conducted by a group of four undergraduate mechanical engineers at California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo. The primary sponsor of this project was Solar Turbines, a subsidiary of Caterpillar Incorporated. Solar Turbines is in the business of development and application of modern-day energy solutions with a large focus on gas powered turbines. Cal Poly acted as a supplemental support of this project and provide the students with mentorship as well as access to its state-of-the-art facilities for the development of an innovative solution to the design challenge submitted by Solar Turbines. The submittal states a desire to improve the deployment timeline of Solar Turbines’ Titan 130 Gas Turbine Mobile Power Unit. This unit hosts a split drive train with a turbine mounted on one semi-trailer (driving trailer) and a generator mounted on another semi-trailer (driven trailer). These two trailers must be accurately aligned and securely fastened, currently taking roughly 12 hours. Seven of these hours account for aligning and leveling the two trailers and five hours account for securing the trailers using tension bolt fasteners. The process is desired to be reduced to 4 hours without compromising the strength of the connection points. The specified alignment tolerance of the trailers was given as + ¼ inch. The primary stresses in the connection are due to the torsional load resulting from the rotation of the turbine. There are two load conditions that were factored into the design: the normal operating load and the short circuit load. The normal operation load of #### ft-lbf is the torque to be experienced by the bolts as a result of the normal operation of the turbine. The short circuit load (#### ft-lbf) is the resulting torque the system undergoes should the generator seize. This document initially presents the background research and function identification processes followed by the ideation process used to develop various solutions to the problem. The final selection processes are also laid out in detail with the final solution chosen being a hydraulically actuated form of alignment using hydraulic arms and wedge connections between the trailers. Critical component dimensions were then confirmed using hand calculations and ANSYS to conduct FEA. Manufacturing and assembly plans including a bill of materials for a full prototype are provided. In addition, testing plans which can be applied to any scale of prototype are also provided. Due to the emergence of Covid-19 during the third phase of the project, prototype development was unable to be completed. Instead further ANSYS analysis (Rigid Body Dynamic) was done in order to further support the solution provided. The goal of this final document is to provide Solar Turbines with all material listed in the Scope of Work agreement and easily lay out prototype development and testing plans that can be used by Solar Turbines if they decide to build a prototype themselves