Probabilistic Hybrid Action Models for Predicting Concurrent Percept-driven Robot Behavior

This article develops Probabilistic Hybrid Action Models (PHAMs), a realistic causal model for predicting the behavior generated by modern percept-driven robot plans. PHAMs represent aspects of robot behavior that cannot be represented by most action models used in AI planning: the temporal structure of continuous control processes, their non-deterministic effects, several modes of their interferences, and the achievement of triggering conditions in closed-loop robot plans. The main contributions of this article are: (1) PHAMs, a model of concurrent percept-driven behavior, its formalization, and proofs that the model generates probably, qualitatively accurate predictions; and (2) a resource-efficient inference method for PHAMs based on sampling projections from probabilistic action models and state descriptions. We show how PHAMs can be applied to planning the course of action of an autonomous robot office courier based on analytical and experimental results

Prospection in cognition: the case for joint episodic-procedural memory in cognitive robotics

Prospection lies at the core of cognition: it is the means by which an agent \u2013 a person or a cognitive robot \u2013 shifts its perspective from immediate sensory experience to anticipate future events, be they the actions of other agents or the outcome of its own actions. Prospection, accomplished by internal simulation, requires mechanisms for both perceptual imagery and motor imagery. While it is known that these two forms of imagery are tightly entwined in the mirror neuron system, we do not yet have an effective model of the mentalizing network which would provide a framework to integrate declarative episodic and procedural memory systems and to combine experiential knowledge with skillful know-how. Such a framework would be founded on joint perceptuo-motor representations. In this paper, we examine the case for this form of representation, contrasting sensory-motor theory with ideo-motor theory, and we discuss how such a framework could be realized by joint episodic-procedural memory. We argue that such a representation framework has several advantages for cognitive robots. Since episodic memory operates by recombining imperfectly recalled past experience, this allows it to simulate new or unexpected events. Furthermore, by virtue of its associative nature, joint episodic-procedural memory allows the internal simulation to be conditioned by current context, semantic memory, and the agent\u2019s value system. Context and semantics constrain the combinatorial explosion of potential perception-action associations and allow effective action selection in the pursuit of goals, while the value system provides the motives that underpin the agent\u2019s autonomy and cognitive development. This joint episodic-procedural memory framework is neutral regarding the final implementation of these episodic and procedural memories, which can be configured sub-symbolically as associative networks or symbolically as content-addressable image databases and databases of motor-control scripts

Towards Managing IT Complexity: An IT Governance Framework to Measure Business-IT Responsibility Sharing and Structural IT Organization

For large enterprises, IT governance is a major lever to influence the way how IT enables business. The authors hypothesizethat a part of IT governance, namely business-IT responsibility sharing and structural IT organization, has a strong influenceon IT architecture complexity of large enterprises. IT complexity is challenging CIOs of large enterprises all over the worldday-by-day. Yet, IT complexity so far has been analyzed by scientific research only to a small degree. To prove or falsify thehypothesis that IT governance influences IT architecture complexity, the authors developed concepts to measure both aspectswith a framework. In this research, the concept for business-IT responsibility sharing and its scientific background arepresented. The IT complexity measurement concept is shown, focusing on IT architecture complexity. An outlook for thisresearch, an empirical study that is currently in progress is given

An Experimental Survey of the Cathodic Activation of Metals Including Mg, Sc, Gd, La, Al, Sn, Pb, and Ge in Dilute Chloride Solutions of Varying pH

The kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) have been reported to increase upon pure magnesium (Mg) surfaces, following prior anodic polarisation or corrosion. This phenomenon is termed anodically induced âÂÂcathodic activationâÂÂ, which is not necessarily an elementary concept. The tendencies of other metals to exhibit cathodic activation has not been systematically explored in the past. In this study, an experimental survey of cathodic activation was conducted for different metals on the basis of understanding the origin of the cathodic activation phenomenon on Mg; including the metals Sc, Gd, La, Al, Sn, Pb and Ge, in 0.1 M NaCl with pH ranging from 3-11. Sc, Gd, La and Mg showed cathodic activation in solutions of various pH, whereas Al showed cathodic activation only in an acidic solution. Sn, Pb and Ge did not show significant cathodic activation across the pH range tested. It is proposed on the basis of the results herein, metals that tend to directly react with water to form hydroxides in aqueous electrolytes have a higher tendency to demonstrate cathodic activation

Building information deduced : state and potentials for Information query in building information modelling

In recent years, Building Information Models have become commonplace in building profession. The extensive use and increasing experience with BIM models offers new perspectives and potentials for design and planning. A recent stakeholder study conducted by the authors of this paper show that in practice models are no longer solely observed as culmination of knowledge in a 3d representation of future built structures, but as a source of information in itself. Experienced users of BIM want to Find Information within a model or across a set of these and Compare models in order to evaluate states of a model, differences in separate models or models from different point of time. Current BIM tools support both modes only in a rudimentary form. This paper discusses current modes of information query within and across BIM models, shows beneficial scenarios for building and planning practice through customised queries and exemplifies these on the base of a scripted tool. This customized approach is used to test approaches for a machine-based assessment of Level of detail and BIM-readiness in BIM models

Protostars and Outflows in the NGC7538 - IRS9 Cloud Core

New high resolution observations of HCO+ J=1-0, H13CN J=1-0, SO 2,2 - 1,1, and continuum with BIMA at 3.4 mm show that the NGC7538 - IRS9 cloud core is a site of active ongoing star formation. Our observations reveal at least three young bipolar molecular outflows, all ~ 10,000 -- 20,000 years old. IRS9 drives a bipolar, extreme high velocity outflow observed nearly pole on. South of IRS9 we find a cold, protostellar condensation with a size of ~ 14" x 6" with a mass > 250 Msun. This is the center of one of the outflows and shows deep, red-shifted self absorption in HCO+, suggesting that there is a protostar embedded in the core, still in a phase of active accretion. This source is not detected in the far infrared, suggesting that the luminosity < 10^4 Lsun; yet the mass of the outflow is ~ 60 Msun. The red-shifted HCO+ self-absorption profiles observed toward the southern protostar and IRS9 predict accretion rates of a few times 10^-4 to 10^-3 Msun/yr. Deep VLA continuum observations at 3.6 cm show that IRS9 coincides with a faint thermal VLA source, but no other young star in the IRS9 region has any detectable free-free emission at a level of ~ 60 microJy at 3.6 cm. The HCO+ abundance is significantly enhanced in the hot IRS9 outflow. A direct comparison of mass estimates from HCO+ and CO for the well-characterized red-shifted IRS9 outflow predicts an HCO+ enhancement of more than a factor of 30, or [HCO+/H2] >= 6 10^-8.Comment: 40 pages, 3 tables and 10 figures included; to appear in Ap

Progress in Three-Dimensional Coherent X-Ray Diffraction Imaging

The Fourier inversion of phased coherent diffraction patterns offers images without the resolution and depth-of-focus limitations of lens-based tomographic systems. We report on our recent experimental images inverted using recent developments in phase retrieval algorithms, and summarize efforts that led to these accomplishments. These include ab-initio reconstruction of a two-dimensional test pattern, infinite depth of focus image of a thick object, and its high-resolution (~10 nm resolution) three-dimensional image. Developments on the structural imaging of low density aerogel samples are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, X-Ray Microscopy 2005, Himeji, Japa