Autonomous navigation in unstructured environments using an arm-mounted camera for target localization

openAutonomous mobile robots became over the recent years a popular topic of research mainly for their capacity to perform tasks in complete autonomy without the constant intervention of an human operator. In this context, autonomous navigation represents one of the main studied branch of autonomous robotics. Autonomous navigation in both structured and unstructured environments have been widely researched over years, with the development of several techniques that tries to solve this problem. In this context, there are several components that are required to get the proper solution to the navigation problem, and one of these is represented by the knowledge of the final position that an autonomous robot has to reach inside an environment. In this thesis, the goal is to enhance the autonomous capabilities of a robot by making it able to detect and follow constantly a target placed inside an unstructured environment. This result is obtained using a camera installed as end-effector of a robotic arm, which in turn is installed on top of a mobile robot. All the methodologies as well as the tools that have been used in the development of this project are presented in this thesis. The evaluation of the performances of the algorithm are performed both in a static context, where the robot is fixed and the target is free to move, and in a dynamic context where the robot moves and the target is fixed. The motion of the robot is obtained using an innovative algorithm for navigation in unstructured environments, NAPVIG. The proposed approach has been implemented using ROS and been tested both in a simulated environment using Gazebo as well as in a real world scenario. The results obtained from both type of experiments will be presented and discussed.Autonomous mobile robots became over the recent years a popular topic of research mainly for their capacity to perform tasks in complete autonomy without the constant intervention of an human operator. In this context, autonomous navigation represents one of the main studied branch of autonomous robotics. Autonomous navigation in both structured and unstructured environments have been widely researched over years, with the development of several techniques that tries to solve this problem. In this context, there are several components that are required to get the proper solution to the navigation problem, and one of these is represented by the knowledge of the final position that an autonomous robot has to reach inside an environment. In this thesis, the goal is to enhance the autonomous capabilities of a robot by making it able to detect and follow constantly a target placed inside an unstructured environment. This result is obtained using a camera installed as end-effector of a robotic arm, which in turn is installed on top of a mobile robot. All the methodologies as well as the tools that have been used in the development of this project are presented in this thesis. The evaluation of the performances of the algorithm are performed both in a static context, where the robot is fixed and the target is free to move, and in a dynamic context where the robot moves and the target is fixed. The motion of the robot is obtained using an innovative algorithm for navigation in unstructured environments, NAPVIG. The proposed approach has been implemented using ROS and been tested both in a simulated environment using Gazebo as well as in a real world scenario. The results obtained from both type of experiments will be presented and discussed

Crossing The Boundaries: An Interview with Chinese SF Writer Xia Jia

The science fiction writer Xia Jia (autonym Wang Yao), is also a researcher and actress, and currently an associate professor at Xi' an Jiaotong University. Her production, well-known as "porridge science fiction", softer than the "soft" one, is marked by a continuous boundary-crossing, which leads reality and fiction to chase each other and mingle together. This interview is conducted to shed lights on this prominent Chinese science fiction writer, and to better understand Chinese science fiction in a global setting. In the interview, the interviewer and interviewee address the problem of crossing the boundary between the sentimental and technological, reason and magic, history and future, international approach and Chinese roots, mainstream and marginalization, writing and translation, science fiction and life

Pandemic and the (Fanta)scientific: A Prism of Voices from Today’s China

This contribution delves into the reactions and declarations expressed by different Chinese science fiction authors during the global pandemic: reactions that can be understood as either aimed at popularizing science or stimulating a scientific (pre)vision of reality. The article specifically focuses on the poetic and rhizomatic approach to the disease taken by Han Song, highlighting the similarities with Fang Fang's diaries. By examining his views on the pandemic and some of his posts on Weibo, this article aims to shed light on the unconventional nature of its writing and on its unique way of understanding society and culture

Feminismos del siglo XXI

Este texto discute cuestiones de políticas, prácticas y discursos feministas. Habla de la ambigüedad en el feminismo que busca la normalidad, y, a la vez, una ruptura con ésta. Expone el hecho de que los que intentan "exportar" la democracia usan las mujeres para objetivos políticos. Por otra parte, el capitalismo, predicando el goce sin límite, en lugar de proporcionarlo a las mujeres, las ha convertido incluso más en objetos de deseo. Muraro y Cigarini explican cómo el miedo de las mujeres a sufrir la violencia de género ha permitido a la sociedad patriarcal controlar más a las mujeres. No se logrará un cambio de verdad hasta que los hombres no sean capaces de cuestionar su propia sexualidad e imaginario. Opinan que el feminismo "exportado" siempre es incompatible con las tradiciones culturales, religiosas o nacionalistas, ya que las feministas son mujeres que no aceptan ni la subordinación ni la asimilación a los hombres. Finalmente, afirman que no creen que se haya hecho una lectura demasiado positiva de la tradición femenina.Lia Cigarini and Luisa Muraro discuss issues of feminist politics, practices and discourses. They talk about the ambiguity in today's feminism which seeks normality and, at the same time, a breaking-off. They discuss the fact that women are used for political goals by those who try to "export" democracy. On the other hand, capitalism, preaching pleasure without limits, instead of securing women's pleasure, it has turned them even more into objects of pleasure. Muraro and Cigarini explain how women's fear of suffering gender violence has enabled patriarchal society to exercise more control over them and how a real breakthrough can bot be achieved as long as men are capable of questioning their own sexuality and imaginary. They believe "exported" feminism is always incompatible with cultural, religious or nationalist traditions, since feminists are women who accept neither subordination to men. Finally, the authors state they do not believe feminism has made a too positive reading of female tradition