AUV SLAM and experiments using a mechanical scanning forward-looking sonar

Navigation technology is one of the most important challenges in the applications of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) which navigate in the complex undersea environment. The ability of localizing a robot and accurately mapping its surroundings simultaneously, namely the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) problem, is a key prerequisite of truly autonomous robots. In this paper, a modified-FastSLAM algorithm is proposed and used in the navigation for our C-Ranger research platform, an open-frame AUV. A mechanical scanning imaging sonar is chosen as the active sensor for the AUV. The modified-FastSLAM implements the update relying on the on-board sensors of C-Ranger. On the other hand, the algorithm employs the data association which combines the single particle maximum likelihood method with modified negative evidence method, and uses the rank-based resampling to overcome the particle depletion problem. In order to verify the feasibility of the proposed methods, both simulation experiments and sea trials for C-Ranger are conducted. The experimental results show the modified-FastSLAM employed for the navigation of the C-Ranger AUV is much more effective and accurate compared with the traditional methods

Breakdown of Particle-Hole Symmetry in the Lowest Landau Level Revealed by Tunneling Spectroscopy

Tunneling measurements on 2D electron gases at high magnetic field reveal a qualitative difference between the two spin sublevels of the lowest Landau level. While the tunneling current-voltage characteristic at filling factor $\nu = 1/2$ is a single peak shifted from zero bias by a Coulomb pseudogap, the spectrum at $\nu=3/2$ shows a well-resolved double peak structure. This difference is present regardless of whether $\nu =1/2$ and $\nu = 3/2$ occur at the same or different magnetic fields. No analogous effect is seen at $\nu = 5/2$ and 7/2 in the first excited Landau level.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Strong Correlation to Weak Correlation Phase Transition in Bilayer Quantum Hall Systems

At small layer separations, the ground state of a nu=1 bilayer quantum Hall system exhibits spontaneous interlayer phase coherence and has a charged-excitation gap E_g. The evolution of this state with increasing layer separation d has been a matter of controversy. In this letter we report on small system exact diagonalization calculations which suggest that a single phase transition, likely of first order, separates coherent incompressible (E_g >0) states with strong interlayer correlations from incoherent compressible states with weak interlayer correlations. We find a dependence of the phase boundary on d and interlayer tunneling amplitude that is in very good agreement with recent experiments.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures included, version to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Estimation of communication-delays through adaptive synchronization of chaos

This paper deals with adaptive synchronization of chaos in the presence of time-varying communication-delays. We consider two bidirectionally coupled systems that seek to synchronize through a signal that each system sends to the other one and is transmitted with an unknown time-varying delay. We show that an appropriate adaptive strategy can be devised that is successful in dynamically identifying the time-varying delay and in synchronizing the two systems. The performance of our strategy with respect to the choice of the initial conditions and the presence of noise in the communication channels is tested by using numerical simulations. Another advantage of our approach is that in addition to estimating the communication-delay, the adaptive strategy could be used to simultaneously identify other parameters, such as e.g., the unknown time-varying amplitude of the received signal.Comment: Accepted for publication in Chaos, Solitons & Fractal

Selection and environmental adaptation along a path to speciation in the Tibetan frog Nanorana parkeri.

Tibetan frogs, Nanorana parkeri, are differentiated genetically but not morphologically along geographical and elevational gradients in a challenging environment, presenting a unique opportunity to investigate processes leading to speciation. Analyses of whole genomes of 63 frogs reveal population structuring and historical demography, characterized by highly restricted gene flow in a narrow geographic zone lying between matrilines West (W) and East (E). A population found only along a single tributary of the Yalu Zangbu River has the mitogenome only of E, whereas nuclear genes of W comprise 89-95% of the nuclear genome. Selection accounts for 579 broadly scattered, highly divergent regions (HDRs) of the genome, which involve 365 genes. These genes fall into 51 gene ontology (GO) functional classes, 14 of which are likely to be important in driving reproductive isolation. GO enrichment analyses of E reveal many overrepresented functional categories associated with adaptation to high elevations, including blood circulation, response to hypoxia, and UV radiation. Four genes, including DNAJC8 in the brain, TNNC1 and ADORA1 in the heart, and LAMB3 in the lung, differ in levels of expression between low- and high-elevation populations. High-altitude adaptation plays an important role in maintaining and driving continuing divergence and reproductive isolation. Use of total genomes enabled recognition of selection and adaptation in and between populations, as well as documentation of evolution along a stepped cline toward speciation

Interaction-induced oscillations of the tunneling density of states in a non-quantizing magnetic field

We study tunneling into interacting disordered two-dimensional electron gas in a non-quantizing magnetic field, which does not cause the standard de Haas-- van Alphen oscillations. Interaction induces a new type of oscillations in the tunneling density of states with the characteristic period of cyclotron quantum.Comment: 4 pages, 1 .eps figure, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Computed tomography-osteoabsorptiometry for assessing the density distribution of subchondral bone as a measure of long-term mechanical adaptation in individual joints

To estimate subchondral mineralisation patterns which represent the long-term loading history of individual joints, a method has been developed employing computed tomography (CT) which permits repeated examination of living joints. The method was tested on 5 knee, 3 sacroiliac, 3 ankle and 5 shoulder joints and then investigated with X-ray densitometry. A CT absorptiometric presentation and maps of the area distribution of the subchondral bone density areas were derived using an image analyser. Comparison of the results from both X-ray densitometry and CT-absorptiometry revealed almost identical pictures of distribution of the subchondral bone density. The method may be used to examine subchondral mineralisation as a measure of the mechanical adaptability of joints in the living subject

Timing of preemptive vascular access placement: do we understand the natural history of advanced CKD?: an observational study

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the targets and expectations of practicing nephrologists with regard to timing of preemptive AV access surgery and how these relate to actual observed practice patterns in clinical care. METHODS: We administered a 8-question survey to assess nephrologists’ expectations for preemptive vascular access placement to 53 practicing nephrologists in California. We performed a retrospective chart review of 116 patients who underwent preemptive vascular access placement at a large academic medical center and examined progression to ESRD. RESULTS: According to our survey of nephrologists, most aimed to have preemptive vascular access created about 6 months prior to start of ESRD or when the chances of ESRD within the next year is two-thirds or greater. The estimated GFR level at which they believe match these conditions is approximately 18 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Among the 116 patients with CKD who underwent preemptive vascular access creation, the mean estimated GFR at the time of access creation was 16.1 (6.8) ml/min/1.73 m(2). Only 57 out of the 116 patients (49.1%) patients initiated maintenance HD within 1 year after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, most nephrologists aim for preemptive vascular access surgery approximately 6 months prior to the start of HD. However in fact, only approximately 50% of patients who underwent preemptive vascular access surgery started HD within 1 year. Better tools are needed to predict the natural history of advanced CKD