Vision-Based Control of a Full-Size Car by Lane Detection

Autonomous driving is an area of increasing investment for researchers and auto manufacturers. Integration has already begun for self-driving cars in urban environments. An essential aspect of navigation in these areas is the ability to sense and follow lane markers. This thesis focuses on the development of a vision-based control platform using lane detection to control a full-sized electric vehicle with only a monocular camera. An open-source, integrated solution is presented for automation of a stock vehicle. Aspects of reverse engineering, system identification, and low-level control of the vehicle are discussed. This work also details methods for lane detection and the design of a non-linear vision-based control strategy

A methodology for evaluating verbal classification schemes and verbal task variables.

At long last, the first step in a long chain of scientific endeavors is completed. I am excited. I believe that I have been trained well. And so, I would like to thank everyone that has made this possible. But how does my training facilitate acknowledging all of those who have had a major impact on my behavior? First, it gives me a historical perspective. From this perspective I remember the warmth and love that was provided by my parents John and June and the love and competition provided by my brothers, Jack, Mike and Tim. Second, my training provides me with a social, environmental perspective. From this I recall the consistent, immediate support supplied by my friends. Especially, I thank Karen. Third, my training has provided me with a professional perspective. From late night planning, scheming and scamming with Kent Johnson to Tuesday organizing with Beth Sulzer-Azarof f , I have been fortunate to experience the best in behavioral training. Of course, all these categories overlap. There is no simple way to separate the historical from the social or the social from the professional. All that one can do is key in on certain ways that others have been of assistance. Therefore, the last perspective that my training has provided is to be able to isolate the key factors in this specific project. From this, I know to thank each of my committee members, John Donatioe, J.M. Royer and Arnold well, a superb typist, Carol Vreeland, and especially, again, my advisors and friends, Kent Johnson and Beth Sulzer-Azaro

The Sucking Louse Fauna of Mongolian Rodents: Host Associations, Molecular Phylogenetics and Description of Two New Species

This study aimed to screen Mongolian rodents for sucking lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Anoplura) to better understand host-parasite associations for this understudied region. Nine species, including 3 previously undescribed, from 4 genera were identified. A molecular phylogeny based on 2 mitochondrial genes of collected louse specimens is included

Role of historical land-cover changes as a mechanism for global and regional climate change

Spring 1999.Also issued as author's dissertation (Ph.D.) -- Colorado State University, 1999.Includes bibliographical references.This paper describes the results from several modeling studies and an observational analysis as to the effect of historical land-cover change on regional and global climates. We discuss methods for determining historical vegetation change and present results from model simulations at the global and regional scale which compare climates generated using currently observed vegetation versus natural vegetation as a boundary condition. We also compare these modeling studies with recent observational data and with simulations of climate change resulting from increased greenhouse gases. We conclude from this research that vegetation change, as it has already occurred, globally and regionally, can have significant effects on both global and regional climates. These effects are not limited to the regions of direct land-cover change forcing. For example, as a result of tropical deforestation, the position and intensity of the ITCZ is affected by the change in land surface characteristics resulting in global-scale effects which are similar in nature to the climatic effects associated with El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These include changes in high-latitude circulations, the generation of low frequency waves which appear to propagate to the extratropic s in well-defined teleconnection patterns, and reduced low-level easterlies over most of the tropical Pacific basin under current vegetation. This implies an interaction mechanism between tropical deforestation and ENSO. The model simulations of climate change due to landcover change compare favorably in spatial pattern and amplitude with recently observed temperature trends. Additionally, a comparison between simulations of climate changes due to landcover disturbance and changes due to rising atmospheric CO2 concentration show that global land-cover changes, as they have already occurred, are responsible for shifts in climate which are of similar amplitude and occur in the same regions as simulated climate changes resulting from increased CO2. A comparison of three independent observational datasets shows strong disagreement not only in the sign of recent globally-averaged temperature trends but also disagree as to regions where significant climate shifts are occurring. Unlike model simulations of greenhouse gas warming, warm anomalies do not occur preferentially over land during t his period and do not increase with height in the tropics.Sponsored by NPS contracts CA 1268-2-9004 and COLR-R92-0204; USGS contract 99CR-AG0005 and SA 9005CS0014; and NASA grant NAG8-1511

Forced returns and protracted displacement

Key findings • The needs of unaccompanied migrant young people transitioning to adulthood with precarious or no legal status are absent from UK policy agendas. • Current policies governing possible outcomes for these young people particularly forced return to country of origin can undermine young people’s wellbeing and fundamental rights. • Returns policies are expensive and have unintended consequences such as re-migration and/or forced transitions to survival through illegal means. • The prospect and reality of forced removal have severe adverse impacts on young people’s health and wellbeing, often leading to protracted displacement over many years. • Forced return to countries of origin fails to acknowledge the connections and potential contribution made by these young people in the UK and underestimates the challenges to reintegration in countries they haven’t lived in for several years

Dairy Farm Management Adjustments to Biofuels-Induced Changes in Agricultural Markets

A mathematical programming model of a representative New York dairy farm is developed to identify optimal management adjustments to increased availability of corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). While at current prices DDGS feeding is limited to dry cows and young stock, as prices decrease, DDGS in lactating cow rations increase from 7.4% to 20% on a dry matter basis. While expected changes in net farm returns are modest, more important is the consideration of changes in nutrient management practices necessary to deal with increasing levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the animal waste.Production, Management, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Farm Management, Financial Economics, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,