SeeStar III Sensor Module

SeeStar is an autonomous, underwater camera system for observing aquatic environments. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) developed SeeStar to provide a low cost solution for marine researchers wishing to observe underwater ecosystems over long durations. The system consists of completely open-source designs featuring only common, commercially available components. This means users may purchase the components and build the system themselves. While MBARI originally intended for the system to simply capture photo and video data, many customers have requested additional sensors to gather contextual data to complement the captured images. The latest generation, SeeStar III, features a sensor module, enabling users to easily integrate sensors into the system. This project phase encompasses sensor module firmware design and testing. The primary design challenge is creating a general interface so users may integrate additional sensors without modifying the system’s firmware for each new sensor. This preserves the system’s ease-of-use. The secondary design challenge is maximizing power efficiency such that long term untethered deployments are possible

Untangling Fine-Grained Code Changes

After working for some time, developers commit their code changes to a version control system. When doing so, they often bundle unrelated changes (e.g., bug fix and refactoring) in a single commit, thus creating a so-called tangled commit. Sharing tangled commits is problematic because it makes review, reversion, and integration of these commits harder and historical analyses of the project less reliable. Researchers have worked at untangling existing commits, i.e., finding which part of a commit relates to which task. In this paper, we contribute to this line of work in two ways: (1) A publicly available dataset of untangled code changes, created with the help of two developers who accurately split their code changes into self contained tasks over a period of four months; (2) a novel approach, EpiceaUntangler, to help developers share untangled commits (aka. atomic commits) by using fine-grained code change information. EpiceaUntangler is based and tested on the publicly available dataset, and further evaluated by deploying it to 7 developers, who used it for 2 weeks. We recorded a median success rate of 91% and average one of 75%, in automatically creating clusters of untangled fine-grained code changes

Framework for software architecture visualization assessment.

In order to assess software architecture visualisation strategies, we qualitatively characterize then construct an assessment framework with 7 key areas and 31 features. The framework is used for evaluation and comparison of various strategies from multiple stakeholder perspectives. Six existing software architecture visualisation tools and a seventh research tool were evaluated. All tools exhibited shortcomings when evaluated in the framework

Application of the EXtrapolated Efficiency Method (EXEM) to infer the gamma-cascade detection efficiency in the actinide region

The study of transfer-induced gamma-decay probabilities is very useful for understanding the surrogate-reaction method and, more generally, for constraining statistical-model calculations. One of the main difficulties in the measurement of gamma-decay probabilities is the determination of the gamma-cascade detection efficiency. In [Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 700, 59 (2013)] we developed the Extrapolated Efficiency Method (EXEM), a new method to measure this quantity. In this work, we have applied, for the first time, the EXEM to infer the gamma-cascade detection efficiency in the actinide region. In particular, we have considered the 238U(d,p)239U and 238U(3He,d)239Np reactions. We have performed Hauser-Feshbach calculations to interpret our results and to verify the hypothesis on which the EXEM is based. The determination of fission and gamma-decay probabilities of 239Np below the neutron separation energy allowed us to validate the EXEM

From image to technology: a multidisciplinary approach for improving the quality of organic bread.

This study is part of a research programme devoted to improving the quality of organic bread. It aims to identify and test prototypes of breads approved by consumers. This is achieved by analysing consumer representations and preferences and placing them within the framework of technological, sensory and nutritional dimensions of the products. The multidisciplinary approach implements an original qualitative approach that combines three consumer focus groups made up of both loyal and occasional consumers, and confrontation sessions with the programme scientific partners. Four prototypes of organic breads have thus been formalised and subsequently tested on a sample of 120 consumers from two sites (Angers and Strasbourg). From an operational point of view, proposals for organic breads approved by consumers are formulated. In terms of methodology, the contributions of a multidisciplinary study are discussed

Stratégies de présentation d'informations spatiales en mobilité pour l'aide à la navigation chez les non-voyants

International audienceLes aides électroniques à la navigation développées pour les non-voyants commencent à se diffuser auprès des personnes déficientes visuelles. Elles ont cependant l'inconvénient de ne pas être assez robustes aux erreurs de positionnement des systèmes GPS, notamment en ville, et de ne pas fournir d'informations pertinentes à l'utilisateur sur les éléments présents autour de lui. Ces deux défauts rendent moins fiables ces dispositifs pour atteindre une destination et ne permettent pas aux non-voyants de construire une carte mentale de leur environnement, ce qui est par ailleurs très utile pour mieux comprendre ses déplacements. Les applications sur téléphone mobile développées dans le cadre de cette étude visent à fournir ces indications manquantes en indiquant de manière non-visuelle la position de points de repère environnants pour permettre à un utilisateur non-voyant -ayant appris une carte de son environnement au préalable- de s'orienter et de se diriger efficacement dans cet environnement

From open geographical data to tangible maps: improving the accessibility of maps for visually impaired people

International audienceVisual maps must be transcribed into (interactive) raised-line maps to be accessible for visually impaired people. However, these tactile maps suffer from several shortcomings: they are long and expensive to produce, they cannot display a large amount of information, and they are not dynamically modifiable. A number of methods have been developed to automate the production of raised-line maps, but there is not yet any tactile map editor on the market. Tangible interactions proved to be an efficient way to help a visually impaired user manipulate spatial representations. Contrary to raised-line maps, tangible maps can be autonomously constructed and edited. In this paper, we present the scenarios and the main expected contributions of the AccessiMap project, which is based on the availability of many sources of open spatial data: 1/ facilitating the production of interactive tactile maps with the development of an open-source web-based editor; 2/ investigating the use of tangible interfaces for the autonomous construction and exploration of a map by a visually impaired user

Dimensionality influence on passive scalar transport

We numerically investigate the advection of a passive scalar through an interface placed inside a decaying shearless turbulent mixing layer. We consider the system in both two and three dimensions. The dimensionality produces a different time scaling of the diffusion, which is faster in the two-dimensional case. Two intermittent fronts are generated at the margins of the mixing layer. During the decay these fronts present a sort of propagation in both the direction of the scalar flow and the opposite direction. In two dimensions, the propagation of the fronts exhibits a significant asymmetry with respect to the initial position of the interface and is deeper for the front merged in the high energy side of the mixing. In three dimensions, the two fronts remain nearly symmetrically placed. Results concerning the scalar spectra exponents are also presented

"Philofluid" turbulent flow database

A set of velocity and passive scalar fields and their statistics coming from direct numerical simulations and large-eddy simulations. The database includes: shearless mixings in two a three dimensions, turbulent channel flow, cavity flow. Username and password to access the netdisks is provided upon request