From Monocular SLAM to Autonomous Drone Exploration

Micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) are strongly limited in their payload and power capacity. In order to implement autonomous navigation, algorithms are therefore desirable that use sensory equipment that is as small, low-weight, and low-power consuming as possible. In this paper, we propose a method for autonomous MAV navigation and exploration using a low-cost consumer-grade quadrocopter equipped with a monocular camera. Our vision-based navigation system builds on LSD-SLAM which estimates the MAV trajectory and a semi-dense reconstruction of the environment in real-time. Since LSD-SLAM only determines depth at high gradient pixels, texture-less areas are not directly observed so that previous exploration methods that assume dense map information cannot directly be applied. We propose an obstacle mapping and exploration approach that takes the properties of our semi-dense monocular SLAM system into account. In experiments, we demonstrate our vision-based autonomous navigation and exploration system with a Parrot Bebop MAV

Towards Digital Solutions For Value Stream Analysis and Design: Systematic Literature Review And Market Analysis

Recognized as a core element of lean management practice, value stream analysis and design is widely adopted by improvement teams in industrial settings to optimize value creation and eliminate waste. The advancement of value stream analysis and design, incorporating elements such as material flow cost accounting, information logistics, and external influential factors, requires change how improvement teams should think and operate. Emerging complexity of method application and the rise in data volumes underscores the need for novel workflows and the necessity for digital solutions that empower improvement teams in their duties. While existing research focuses on conceptual design of digital solutions, recently no systematic analysis of concepts and solutions from research and practice regarding core aspects of value stream analysis and design has been conducted. To address this research gap, this paper adapts a three-phase research design within a y-model structured process. A systematic literature review and a market analysis are conducted to identify digital solutions for value stream analysis and design. Solutions are showcased and evaluated via concept matrices. Contributing findings of this paper are an assessment of selected concepts form research and solutions from practice as well as the deduction of research-focused requirements, practice-focused requirements, and currently neglected requirements

Measuring Intellectual Curiosity across Cultures: Validity and Comparability of a New Scale in Six Languages

Intellectual curiosity - the tendency to seek out and engage in opportunities for effortful cognitive activity - is a crucial construct in educational research and beyond. Measures of intellectual curiosity vary widely in psychometric quality, and few measures have demonstrated validity and comparability of scores across multiple languages. We analyzed a novel, six-item intellectual curiosity scale (ICS) originally developed for cross-national comparisons in the context of the OECD's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Samples from six countries representing six national languages (U.S. Germany, France, Spain, Poland, and Japan; total N = 5,557) confirmed that the ICS possesses very good psychometric properties. The scale is essentially unidimensional and showed excellent reliability estimates. On top of factorial validity, the scale demonstrated strict measurement invariance across demographic segments (gender, age groups, and educational strata) and at least partial scalar invariance across countries. As per its convergent and divergent associations with a broad range of constructs (e.g., Open-Mindedness and other Big Five traits, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Job Orientations, and Vocational Interests), it also showed convincing construct validity. Given its internal and external relationships, we recommend the ICS for assessing intellectual curiosity, especially in cross-cultural research applications, yet we also point out future research areas

Milk, Meat, and Fish From the Petri Dish—Which Attributes Would Make Cultured Proteins (Un)attractive and for Whom? Results From a Nordic Survey

Cultured meat, fish, or dairy produced in vitro are discussed as one of the most substantial disruptions the food sector might encounter in the coming decades. These cultured proteins are proposed as a potential solution to the detrimental effects industrial food farming and fishing have on the environment and animal welfare as they would allow people to continue consuming meat, fish, or dairy products while at the same time substantially reducing the burden for the planet. For most people, however, this technology is still unknown, and it is largely unclear how they position themselves toward it. This paper presents the results of a representative survey (N = 3,864) in three Nordic countries (Norway, Denmark, and Finland). After briefly introducing the technological background, respondents spontaneously assessed their general attitude toward cultured proteins, their willingness to try them, and the likelihood that changes in 24 features of cultured protein would improve the respondents' attitude toward cultured protein products. The results showed that people in the studied countries have a neutral to a slightly positive view of cultured protein products. More familiarity seems to improve acceptance. Males, younger people, and vegans/vegetarians are particularly positive. The anticipated attitude change profiles showed that meat-eating identity, social norms, environmental concern, and country yielded the clearest profile differences, whereas health identity, age, innovativeness, income, education, and gender have smaller effects. People on a vegan or vegetarian diet cared less about most of the positive and negative aspects of cultured proteins compared to meat-eaters, with the exception of environmental and ethical aspects.Peer reviewe

Neuro-explicit semantic segmentation of the diffusion cloud chamber

For decades, in diffusion cloud chambers, different types of subatomic particle tracks from radioactive sources or cosmic radiation had to be identified with the naked eye which limited the amount of data that could be processed. In order to allow these classical particle detectors to enter the digital era, we successfully developed a neuro-explicit artificial intelligence model that, given an image from the cloud chamber, automatically annotates most of the particle tracks visible in the image according to the type of particle or process that created it. To achieve this goal, we combined the attention U-Net neural network architecture with methods that model the shape of the detected particle tracks. Our experiments show that the model effectively detects particle tracks and that the neuro-explicit approach decreases the misclassification rate of rare particles by 73% compared with solely using the attention U-Net

M-theory dark matter

The phenomenological implications of the eleven dimensional limit of $M$-theory (strongly coupled $E_8\times E_8$) are investigated. In particular we calculate the supersymmetric particle spectrum subject to constraints of correct electroweak symmetry breaking and the requirement that the lightest supersymmetric particle provides the dark matter of the universe. We also calculate direct detection event rates of the lightest neutralino relevant for non-baryonic dark matter experiments. The modulation effect, due to Earth's annual motion is also calculated.Comment: LaTeX file, 30 pages including 12 figures;v2 typos fixed and references adde

Deletion of the Ca2+-activated potassium (BK) alpha-subunit but not the BK-beta-1-subunit leads to progressive hearing loss

The large conductance voltage- and Ca2+-activated potassium (BK) channel has been suggested to play an important role in the signal transduction process of cochlear inner hair cells. BK channels have been shown to be composed of the pore-forming alpha-subunit coexpressed with the auxiliary beta-1-subunit. Analyzing the hearing function and cochlear phenotype of BK channel alpha-(BKalpha–/–) and beta-1-subunit (BKbeta-1–/–) knockout mice, we demonstrate normal hearing function and cochlear structure of BKbeta-1–/– mice. During the first 4 postnatal weeks also, BKalpha–/– mice most surprisingly did not show any obvious hearing deficits. High-frequency hearing loss developed in BKalpha–/– mice only from ca. 8 weeks postnatally onward and was accompanied by a lack of distortion product otoacoustic emissions, suggesting outer hair cell (OHC) dysfunction. Hearing loss was linked to a loss of the KCNQ4 potassium channel in membranes of OHCs in the basal and midbasal cochlear turn, preceding hair cell degeneration and leading to a similar phenotype as elicited by pharmacologic blockade of KCNQ4 channels. Although the actual link between BK gene deletion, loss of KCNQ4 in OHCs, and OHC degeneration requires further investigation, data already suggest human BK-coding slo1 gene mutation as a susceptibility factor for progressive deafness, similar to KCNQ4 potassium channel mutations. © 2004, The National Academy of Sciences. Freely available online through the PNAS open access option

Psychological factors influencing consumer intentions to consume cultured meat, fish and dairy

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Nature conservation versus climate protection: a basic conflict of goals regarding the acceptance of climate protection measures?

Transformation processes are embedded in a broader discourse on sustainability, climate protection, and biodiversity protection. In this context, possible interindividual conflicts between an interest in nature conservation and efforts to counteract climate change also seem to be relevant. This study focuses on the acceptability of different climate protection measures with possible impacts on landscapes, habitats, and human recreation. Based on a survey of a representative sample (N = 1,427 participants), the impact of conservation-related beliefs on the acceptance of four different climate protection measures was analyzed with respect to possible conflicts with values and norms relevant to climate protection. The study focuses in particular on potential value-based conflicts, as this type of conflict is classified as non-negotiable in negotiation processes and thus represents a particular social challenge. Also, to consider the possible relevance of political orientation and humanity orientation, eight structural equation models were tested. Results showed similar structures for the acceptance of the four climate protection measures. There did not seem to be value-based conflicts between nature conservation and climate protection, as the results showed substantial similarities between nature conservation beliefs grounded in biospheric value orientation (protecting biodiversity) and values and norms relevant for climate protection. Political orientation seemed to be relevant as well, as left-oriented people were more likely to accept the four climate protection measures that were tested. However, the relationship between political orientation and acceptance of the measures was – without exception – mediated by the personal norm