Cooled echelle grating spectrometer

A cooled echelle grating spectrometer for detecting wavelengths between one micron and fifteen microns is disclosed. More specifically, the spectrometer has a cross-dispersing grating for ordering infrared energy and an echelle grating for further ordering of the infrared energy. Ordered radiation from the echelle grating is sensed by a detecting means. Also disclosed is use of a Schmidt camera for focusing the further ordered radiation from the echelle grating onto a detector array having individual detectors dispersed on a plane which substantially corresponds to a curved focal plane of the Schmidt camera. A spectrometer constructed according to the teachings of the present invention will continuously cover the spectrum between one micron and fifteen microns and have a resolution of 0.1/cm

Unique construction makes interferometer insensitive to mechanical stresses

Michelson-type interferometer with a cat-eye reflector operates effectively even in the presence of random mechanical stresses. A cubical beamsplitter with dichroic surfaces permits operation in infrared or visible light

Designing community care systems with AUML

This paper describes an approach to developing an appropriate agent environment appropriate for use in community care applications. Key to its success is that software designers collaborate with environment builders to provide the levels of cooperation and support required within an integrated agent–oriented community system. Agent-oriented Unified Modeling Language (AUML) is a practical approach to the analysis, design, implementation and management of such an agent-based system, whilst providing the power and expressiveness necessary to support the specification, design and organization of a health care service. The background of an agent-based community care application to support the elderly is described. Our approach to building agent–oriented software development solutions emphasizes the importance of AUML as a fundamental initial step in producing more general agent–based architectures. This approach aims to present an effective methodology for an agent software development process using a service oriented approach, by addressing the agent decomposition, abstraction, and organization characteristics, whilst reducing its complexity by exploiting AUML’s productivity potential. </p

Managing healthcare workflows in a multi-agent system environment

Whilst Multi-Agent System (MAS) architectures appear to offer a more flexible model for designers and developers of complex, collaborative information systems, implementing real-world business processes that can be delegated to autonomous agents is still a relatively difficult task. Although a range of agent tools and toolkits exist, there still remains the need to move the creation of models nearer to code generation, in order that the development path be more rigorous and repeatable. In particular, it is essential that complex organisational process workflows are captured and expressed in a way that MAS can successfully interpret. Using a complex social care system as an exemplar, we describe a technique whereby a business process is captured, expressed, verified and specified in a suitable format for a healthcare MAS.</p

The first passage probability and control

First-passage probability used as measure of performance in stochastic control problem - dynamic programmin

First-occurrence time of high-level crossings in a continuous random process

Statistical probability distribution of first occurrence and first recurrence times of given level crossing in continuous random proces

Effect of spacewise variations in a random load field on the response of a linear system

Effect of spacewise variations in random load field on response of linear system - statistical mechanic

May We Have Your Attention: Analysis of a Selective Attention Task

In this paper we present a deeper analysis than has previously been carried out of a selective attention problem, and the evolution of continuous-time recurrent neural networks to solve it. We show that the task has a rich structure, and agents must solve a variety of subproblems to perform well. We consider the relationship between the complexity of an agent and the ease with which it can evolve behavior that generalizes well across subproblems, and demonstrate a shaping protocol that improves generalization

Naive Aufklärung und resignative Entmündigung:das Subjekt zwischen Erkenntnis- und Gesellschaftstheorie

Die Geschichte des neuzeitlichen Subjekts ist eine wechselvolle Geschichte. Galt es einst als autonome Gestalt, wurde es zwischenzeitlich für tot erklärt. Die Theorie des Subjekts pendelt zwischen Erkenntnis- und Gesellschaftstheorie. Der Beitrag fragt nach dem Zusammenspiel von Subjekt und Umwelt: Kann das Subjekt seine Umwelt gestalten oder wird es selbst durch diese gestaltet