Stored Grain Volume MeasurementUsing a Low Density Point Cloud

Citation: Turner, A. P., Jackson, J. J., Koeninger, N. K., McNeill, S. G., Montross, M. D., Casada, M. E., . . . Thompson, S. A. (2017). STORED GRAIN VOLUME MEASUREMENT USING A LOW DENSITY POINT CLOUD. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 33(1), 105-112. doi:10.13031/aea.11870This technical note presents the development of a new apparatus and data processing method to accurately estimate the volume of stored grain in a bin. Specifically, it was developed to account for the variability in surface topography that can occur in large diameter bins when partially unloaded. This was accomplished using a laser distance meter to create a low density point cloud, from which a surface was interpolated using ArcMap geoprocessing tools. The manually controlled and portable system was designed to hold the laser distance meter and provided a common reference point. The data from the laser distance meter was transmitted to a tablet PC via Bluetooth. Measurement of an empty hopper bottom bin (4.6 m in diameter and 6.5 m tall) demonstrated that the system was able to measure a known volume within 0.02%, and repeated measures of an empty flat bottom bin (1.8 m in diameter, and 5.7 m tall) were within 0.29% of the known volume. Two applications are presented which highlight the system's ability to capture complex surfaces, as well as limitations that result from fill scenarios where the field of view was limited

Error Analysis of Stored Grain Inventory Determination

Citation: Turner A., J. Jackson, N. Koeninger, S. McNeill, M. Montross, M. E. Casada, J. M. Boac, R. Bhadra, R. G. Maghirang, and S. A. Thompson. 2016. Error Analysis of stored grain inventory determination. Transactions of ASABE 59(3): 1061-1072Estimation of the quantity of stored grain is important for crop insurance, financial statements, and inventory control. Traditionally, the height of grain has been measured using weighted tape measures, and the volume is subsequently computed using standard geometric shapes (cylinders and cones) along with visual correction of the grain surface. Field measurements by four trained USDA Farm Service Agency and crop insurance agents on older farm-sized bins (8.2 to 11.0Â m, or 27 to 36 ft, in diameter) resulted in standard deviations between 0.02 and 0.30 m for the equivalent height when the grain surface was not level. The largest errors were observed with off-center surface profiles. When the grain surface inside the bins was manually leveled, the standard deviation of the equivalent height varied between 0.02 and 0.18 m. Error propagation analysis was performed to evaluate the error in measuring the volume of stored grain caused by the uncertainty associated with measuring the bin diameter and grain height as a function of the ratio of equivalent level grain height to bin diameter (EH/D). The errors were examined using an assumed range of uncertainties to explore how each factor contributed to the error in different scenarios. The uncertainty increased as the EH/D ratio decreased, especially in small-diameter bins with shallow grain heights where the volume bounded by the surface profile of the grain represented a large percentage of the total volume within the structure. Therefore, any errors in defining the surface profile resulted in large errors in the total estimated volume of grain in small-diameter bins. Conversely, for large-diameter bins with large grain heights, the surface profile represented a very small percentage of the total volume of grain. Consequently, any errors in defining the profile produced much smaller errors in the total grain volume. For accurate measurements, defined as a standard deviation of 1.2 cm (0.04 ft) in the diameter and 7.6 cm (0.25 ft) in the equivalent level height, the overall uncertainty in the volume measurement never exceeded 5% for smaller bins (10 m in diameter). A sensitivity analysis was performed on the three most common methods used to convert the measured volume to a quantity of grain. In each method, the quantity of grain stored in a bin is the product of the volume measurement and the pack factor. With all three methods, the sensitivity of the pack factor determination resulted in an error of less than 1% in the estimated total quantity of stored grain. The volume measurement accounted for the majority of the error in the estimation of bin inventory. As a result, accurate measurement of the bin volume is critical for determining the quantity of stored grain

Stored Grain Volume Measurement Using a Low Density Point Cloud

This technical note presents the development of a new apparatus and data processing method to accurately estimate the volume of stored grain in a bin. Specifically, it was developed to account for the variability in surface topography that can occur in large diameter bins when partially unloaded. This was accomplished using a laser distance meter to create a low density point cloud, from which a surface was interpolated using ArcMap geoprocessing tools. The manually controlled and portable system was designed to hold the laser distance meter and provided a common reference point. The data from the laser distance meter was transmitted to a tablet PC via Bluetooth. Measurement of an empty hopper bottom bin (4.6 m in diameter and 6.5 m tall) demonstrated that the system was able to measure a known volume within 0.02%, and repeated measures of an empty flat bottom bin (1.8 m in diameter, and 5.7 m tall) were within 0.29% of the known volume. Two applications are presented which highlight the system‘s ability to capture complex surfaces, as well as limitations that result from fill scenarios where the field of view was limited

Stress-induced c-Fos expression is differentially modulated by dexamethasone, diazepam and imipramine

Immobilization stress upregulates c-Fos expression in several CNS areas. Repeated stress or the use of drugs can modulate stress-induced c-Fos expression. Here, we investigated in 40 different areas of the rat brain the effects of dexamethasone (SDX, a synthetic glucocorticoid), diazepam (SBDZ, a benzodiazepine), and imipramine (IMI, an antidepressant) on the c-Fos expression induced by restraint stress. Wistar rats were divided into four groups and submitted to 20 days of daily injection of saline (three first groups) or imipramine, 15 mg/kg, i.p. On day 21, animals were submitted to injections of saline (somatosensory, SS), SDX (1 mg/kg, i.p.), SBDZ (5 mg/kg, i.p.), or IMI (15 mg/kg, i.p.) before being submitted to restraint. Immediately after stress, the animals were perfused and their brains processed with immunohistochemistry for c-Fos (Ab-5 Oncogene Science). Dexamethasone reduced stress- induced c-Fos expression in SS cortex, hippocampus, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH), and locus coeruleus (LC), whereas diazepam reduced c-Fos staining in the SS cortex, hippocampus, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, septal area, and hypothalamus (preoptic area and supramammillary nucleus). Chronic administration of imipramine decreased staining in the hippocampus, PVH, and LC, while increasing it in the nucleus raphe pallidus. We conclude that dexamethasone, diazepam and imipramine differentially modulate stress-induced Fos expression. the present study provides an important comparative background that may help in the further understanding of the effects of these compounds and on the brain activation as well as on the behavioral, neuroendocrine, and autonomic responses to stress.UFRRJ, Dept Physiol Sci, BR-23890000 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Fact or Factitious? A Psychobiological Study of Authentic and Simulated Dissociative Identity States

BACKGROUND: Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a disputed psychiatric disorder. Research findings and clinical observations suggest that DID involves an authentic mental disorder related to factors such as traumatization and disrupted attachment. A competing view indicates that DID is due to fantasy proneness, suggestibility, suggestion, and role-playing. Here we examine whether dissociative identity state-dependent psychobiological features in DID can be induced in high or low fantasy prone individuals by instructed and motivated role-playing, and suggestion. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: DID patients, high fantasy prone and low fantasy prone controls were studied in two different types of identity states (neutral and trauma-related) in an autobiographical memory script-driven (neutral or trauma-related) imagery paradigm. The controls were instructed to enact the two DID identity states. Twenty-nine subjects participated in the study: 11 patients with DID, 10 high fantasy prone DID simulating controls, and 8 low fantasy prone DID simulating controls. Autonomic and subjective reactions were obtained. Differences in psychophysiological and neural activation patterns were found between the DID patients and both high and low fantasy prone controls. That is, the identity states in DID were not convincingly enacted by DID simulating controls. Thus, important differences regarding regional cerebral bloodflow and psychophysiological responses for different types of identity states in patients with DID were upheld after controlling for DID simulation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The findings are at odds with the idea that differences among different types of dissociative identity states in DID can be explained by high fantasy proneness, motivated role-enactment, and suggestion. They indicate that DID does not have a sociocultural (e.g., iatrogenic) origin

Comparison of induction motor field efficiency evaluation methods

Unlike testing motor efficiency in a laboratory, certain methods given in the IEEE-Std 112 cannot be used for motor efficiency in the field. For example, it is difficult to load a motor in the field with a dynamometer when the motor is already coupled to driven equipment. The motor efficiency field evaluation faces a different environment from that for which the IEEE-Std 112 is chiefly written. A field evaluation method consists of one or several basic methods according to their physical natures. Their intrusivenesses and accuracies are also discussed. This study is useful for field engineers to select or to establish a proper efficiency evaluation method by understanding the theories and error sources of the methods

Colorimetric Methods for Determining Fe, V, and Ni Contents in Coke and Anodes

Prebaked carbon anodes are used in the electrolytic production of aluminum. They are made of petroleum coke, butts, recycled anodes, and coal tar pitch. The anode quality, which depends on the raw material quality and the production conditions, has an important impact on the cell performance. Metallic impurities (V, Ni, and Fe) found in cokes and anodes increase the carbon consumption by catalyzing the air and CO2 reactivities. In turn, this increases the production cost, energy consumption, and the emission of greenhouse gases. The current methods for detecting the metallic impurities in carbon are time consuming and require intensive sample preparation, skilled personnel, and costly reagents. In this work, simple, rapid, and effective tools were developed using colorimetric methods