Performance limitations of bilateral force reflection imposed by operator dynamic characteristics

A linearized, single-axis model is presented for bilateral force reflection which facilitates investigation into the effects of manipulator, operator, and task dynamics, as well as time delay and gain scaling. Structural similarities are noted between this model and impedance control. Stability results based upon this model impose requirements upon operator dynamic characteristics as functions of system time delay and environmental stiffness. An experimental characterization reveals the limited capabilities of the human operator to meet these requirements. A procedure is presented for determining the force reflection gain scaling required to provide stability and acceptable operator workload. This procedure is applied to a system with dynamics typical of a space manipulator, and the required gain scaling is presented as a function of environmental stiffness

Combining multiscale features for classification of hyperspectral images: a sequence based kernel approach

Nowadays, hyperspectral image classification widely copes with spatial information to improve accuracy. One of the most popular way to integrate such information is to extract hierarchical features from a multiscale segmentation. In the classification context, the extracted features are commonly concatenated into a long vector (also called stacked vector), on which is applied a conventional vector-based machine learning technique (e.g. SVM with Gaussian kernel). In this paper, we rather propose to use a sequence structured kernel: the spectrum kernel. We show that the conventional stacked vector-based kernel is actually a special case of this kernel. Experiments conducted on various publicly available hyperspectral datasets illustrate the improvement of the proposed kernel w.r.t. conventional ones using the same hierarchical spatial features.Comment: 8th IEEE GRSS Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing: Evolution in Remote Sensing (WHISPERS 2016), UCLA in Los Angeles, California, U.

Combining multiple resolutions into hierarchical representations for kernel-based image classification

Geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) framework has gained increasing interest recently. Following this popular paradigm, we propose a novel multiscale classification approach operating on a hierarchical image representation built from two images at different resolutions. They capture the same scene with different sensors and are naturally fused together through the hierarchical representation, where coarser levels are built from a Low Spatial Resolution (LSR) or Medium Spatial Resolution (MSR) image while finer levels are generated from a High Spatial Resolution (HSR) or Very High Spatial Resolution (VHSR) image. Such a representation allows one to benefit from the context information thanks to the coarser levels, and subregions spatial arrangement information thanks to the finer levels. Two dedicated structured kernels are then used to perform machine learning directly on the constructed hierarchical representation. This strategy overcomes the limits of conventional GEOBIA classification procedures that can handle only one or very few pre-selected scales. Experiments run on an urban classification task show that the proposed approach can highly improve the classification accuracy w.r.t. conventional approaches working on a single scale.Comment: International Conference on Geographic Object-Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA 2016), University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherland

Commentary: Thoughts for New Chairs of a Department of Theatre

This article discusses the author\u27s ideas about creating theatre department chairs in colleges and universities in the U.S. Specific challenges that will be faced after assuming a new position of chair; Expectations to be met for needed changes in the department; Experience of the author who joined a department three years previous and was given a mandate from the dean and the department\u27s faculty to revive a department which had lost its luster; Common problems which occur in cycles throughout academe and which can be rectified with the infusion of new blood in the form of a new chair every few years or so

A Look at Comic Books

This short study attempts to define and analyze the comic book thoroughly enough to enable the reader to draw his own conclusions about the unique little magazines. The writer also tries to evaluate the worth and possible place in American culture of comic books. Are comic books a menace, a noxious mushroom growth as a critic stated in 1943? Are they a harmless diversion as psychologist William Charles Marston upholds? Do comic books deserve a niche in libraries or should they be burned as trash

Słowo w sakramencie spowiedzi

The work of the Austrian dialogical thinker, Ferdinand Ebner, had both a direct and an indirect influence on the development of the Sacrament of Penance after Vatican Council II. Ebner's notion that humans are given the "word" by God, who is the "Eternal Thou," informed Vatican II's deepening theology of the word. Sin is understood as a rejection of dialogue, a closing of oneself to the Thou, for which authentic sacramental Confession offers the remedy, in and through the miracle of God's gift of speaking to humans. Ebner's influence on Vatican II is direct, especially in the elaboration of the "Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation," Dei Verbum, while his influence on the New Rite of Penance is indirect - reflected in a deeper theology of the word that had already been "absorbed" by the Council. There are implications for further study of Ebner's thought as a prism through which to apply other language philosophies to better understand the Sacrament of Confession.Dzieło austriackiego filozofa dialogu Ferdynanda Ebnera miało zarówno bezpośredni, jak i pośredni wpływ na rozwój sakramentu pokuty po II Soborze Watykańskim. Jego pogląd, że lu- dzie otrzymali „słowo" od Boga, który jest „Wiecznym Ty", wpłynęło na pogłębienie soborowej teologii słowa. Grzech rozumiany jest jako odrzucenie dialogu, zamknięcie się na Ty, na co lekar- stwo przynosi autentyczna sakramentalna spowiedź w i poprzez cud Boskiego daru słowa skiero- wanego do ludzi. Wpływ Ebnera na Sobór jest tu bezpośredni, zwłaszcza na opracowanie Konsty- tucji dogmatycznej o Objawieniu Bożym Dei Verbum, natomiast wpłynął on pośrednio na nowy Obrzęd Sakramentu Pokuty, co widać w pogłębionej teologii słowa, która już wcześniej została „wchłonięta" przez Sobór. Warto podjąć dalsze studium nad myślą Ebnera jako pryzmatu, przez który można zastosować inne filozofie języka dla lepszego zrozumienia sakramentu spowiedzi

The medical aspects of air raid precautions, with special reference to the organisation of a casualties service for a civil population

(a) That in future wars in which Great Britain may be engaged, civil populations will not be exempt from attack from the air.(b) That sooner or later gas will be used during these attacks.(c) That an unprepared urban community is much more likely to be attacked than one which is prepared.(d) That a scheme for the protection of the public must be worked out in time of peace.(e) That the most important part of the scheme is the formation of an organisation for the prevention of unnecessary casualties, and for the treatment of actual casualties which may occur.(f) That the organisation of Air Raid casualty services should include arrangements for the collection and evacuation of the injured, improvision of hospital accommodation, training of personnel and provision of equipment.(g) That to prevent. panic and unnecessary alarm the public should be educated in all anti -gas measures.(h) That it is considered to be a matter of national importance that all medical practitioners should have a sound knowledge of the effect of war gasses, and appropriate methods for their treatment. With this knowledge the doctor would be able to correct erroneous impressions in times of peace, and treat his patients with understanding should they become casualties in times of war.(i) That we disagree with the policy of the Home Office in not attaching a doctor to the first aid posts. The responsibility of dealing with the situation is too great for St. John Ambulance Brigade Officer - excellent though he may be