Generation and Rendering of Interactive Ground Vegetation for Real-Time Testing and Validation of Computer Vision Algorithms

During the development process of new algorithms for computer vision applications, testing and evaluation in real outdoor environments is time-consuming and often difficult to realize. Thus, the use of artificial testing environments is a flexible and cost-efficient alternative. As a result, the development of new techniques for simulating natural, dynamic environments is essential for real-time virtual reality applications, which are commonly known as Virtual Testbeds. Since the first basic usage of Virtual Testbeds several years ago, the image quality of virtual environments has almost reached a level close to photorealism even in real-time due to new rendering approaches and increasing processing power of current graphics hardware. Because of that, Virtual Testbeds can recently be applied in application areas like computer vision, that strongly rely on realistic scene representations. The realistic rendering of natural outdoor scenes has become increasingly important in many application areas, but computer simulated scenes often differ considerably from real-world environments, especially regarding interactive ground vegetation. In this article, we introduce a novel ground vegetation rendering approach, that is capable of generating large scenes with realistic appearance and excellent performance. Our approach features wind animation, as well as object-to-grass interaction and delivers realistically appearing grass and shrubs at all distances and from all viewing angles. This greatly improves immersion, as well as acceptance, especially in virtual training applications. Nevertheless, the rendered results also fulfill important requirements for the computer vision aspect, like plausible geometry representation of the vegetation, as well as its consistence during the entire simulation. Feature detection and matching algorithms are applied to our approach in localization scenarios of mobile robots in natural outdoor environments. We will show how the quality of computer vision algorithms is influenced by highly detailed, dynamic environments, like observed in unstructured, real-world outdoor scenes with wind and object-to-vegetation interaction

A logística reversa à serviço do desenvolvimento sustentável e o papel da escola com relação à educação ambiental

The reverse logistics is an issue that can be approached in the Environmental Education, in any series/year of Basic Education. Schools play an important role towards the environment; they do not only mobilize the students, but also their families and the community to develop new habits. Similarly, they also contribute to the fulfillment of the regulations, which brings the shared responsibility of all waste generators in the production chain: manufacturers, merchants and citizens. The aim of this paper was to present to the reader, by means of a rescue, the way on how has arisen this environmental tool, the reverse logistics, showing examples of its applicability on many different sectors, as well as the advantages obtained by the organizations in adding this tool to its environmental management system. The reverse logistics it is a strategic resource to the organizations, focused on the sustainable development. It aims to obtain competitive advantages by streamlining the production processes of the organizations, along with the implementation of an environmental management system. Similarly, it has the mission to provide sustainable growth, playing a much broader role than simply assist in compliance with the current environmental legislation. The methodology used was the bibliographic research. This article aims to enable the reader to reflect on the importance of the reverse logistics for the sustainable development of the organizations and as a matter of suggestion to be discussed and approached by teachers and students in daily school life.A logística reversa é um tema que pode ser abordado na Educação Ambiental, em qualquer série/ano da Educação Básica. As escolas desempenham um papel importante em prol do Meio Ambiente, pois não mobilizam apenas os alunos, mas também seus familiares e toda a comunidade a desenvolver novos hábitos. Do mesmo modo, também contribuem para o cumprimento da Lei, a qual traz a responsabilidade compartilhada entre todos os gerado-res de resíduos da cadeia produtiva: fabricantes, comerciantes e cidadãos. O objetivo geral deste artigo foi apresentar ao leitor, por meio de um resgate de como sucedeu o surgimento desta ferramenta ambiental, a logística reversa, apresentando exemplos de sua aplicabilidade nos mais diversos setores, bem como as vantagens obtidas pelas orga-nizações ao agregar esta ferramenta ao seu sistema de gestão ambiental. A logística reversa trata-se de um recurso estratégico, à disposição das organizações, voltado para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Esta visa à obtenção de vantagens competitivas através da melhoria dos processos produtivos das organizações, aliadas à implantação de um sistema de gestão ambiental. Do mesmo modo, tem a missão de proporcionar um crescimento sustentável, exercen-do um papel muito mais amplo do que simplesmente auxiliar no cumprimento da legislação ambiental vigente. A metodologia utilizada foi a pesquisa bibliográfica. O presente artigo visa possibilitar ao leitor uma reflexão acerca da importância da logística reversa para o desenvolvimento sustentável das organizações e como sugestão de tema para ser discutido e abordado por professores e alunos no cotidiano escolar

Trapped surfaces and the positivity of bondi mass

It is shown that the Bondi Mass of an asymptotically flat space-time which satisfies the dominant energy condition and which contains a number of trapped surfaces is positive

Effect of dietary Mucuna pruriens seed meal on the serum lipid profile and bone quality traits of broiler chickens

This study aimed at evaluating the effects of heated Mucuna pruriens seed meal on the blood serum lipid profile and bone quality parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 120 day-old unsexed Cobb 500 broiler chicks were randomly allocated for the 4 treatment diets (T1, T2, T3 and T4) containing 0, 10, 15, and 20% heated Mucuna pruriens seed meal. The birds were reared on wood shaving floor pens for 35 days. Birds were humanely slaughtered by severing the jugular vein using a sharp knife. Blood was collected into a tube, centrifuge and analyzed for a lipid profile analysis (total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), triglycerides (TCD) as well as aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT)) by enzymatic diagnostic kits (Diasys diagnostic kits). Both drumsticks severed using a sharp knife. After boiling in the water at 100°C for 10 mins the tibia bones were taken, air-dried for 96 hrs at room temperature and measured for weights. Bone length, strength, moisture and ash content as well as morphology were measured. The blood lipid profile of birds fed T1 was high (P < 0.05) for all the parameters measured, while T3 had the lowest (P < 0.05) profile. T2 and T4 had the same profile. ALT was found to be highest (P < 0.05) for T4 (5.27 ± 0.207/L) and lowest (P < 0.05) for T2 (4.67 ± 0.333/L) while AST was highest (P < 0.05) for T2 (320.13 ± 28.851/L) and lowest (P < 0.05) for T3 (208.47 ± 10.059/L). Treatment diet 3 (T3) was observed decreased bone quality among all diets; with the lowest (P < 0.05) bone strength (188.55 ± 12.039N), bone length (8.59 ± 0.131cm) and morphology (1.69 ± 0.058). Mucuna pruriens seed meal inclusion in broiler diets reduces blood serum lipids and 20% inclusion levels have no adverse effects on the bone quality attribute

Vernetzbare Funktionsmaterialien für die Anwendung in flüssigphasenprozessierten, mehrschichtigen OLEDs

Eine der größten Herausforderungen bei der Realisierung von hocheffizienten OLED-Bauteilen über kostengünstige Druckverfahren besteht in der Herstellung von mehrschichtigen Bauteilarchitekturen. Hierbei kann es bei mangelnder Lösungsmittelorthogonalität zu einer Beeinflussung der bereits prozessierten Funktionsschicht durch die Funktionstinte einer nachfolgend aufgetragenen Schicht kommen. Dies kann zur Ausbildung von undefinierten Grenzflächen und somit zu Bauteilen mit verminderten Effizienzen führen. Eine äußerst attraktive Strategie zur Herstellung von mehrschichtigen OLEDs über Flüssigphasenprozesse bietet jedoch das Konzept der Vernetzung der organischen Materialschichten. Hierbei lässt sich eine deutliche Verringerung der Löslichkeit der jeweiligen Schicht erzielen, welche die Prozessierung einer Folgeschicht gestattet. Diese Strategie aufgreifend war das Ziel dieser Dissertation die Entwicklung und Synthese von neuen Molekülen, welche sich in den vernetzten Schichten von flüssigphasenprozessierten OLEDs einsetzen und aus deren Verhalten sich Struktur-Eigenschafts-Beziehungen für die weitere Entwicklung dieser Technologie ableiten lassen. Es wurde zunächst eine neuartige Synthesestrategie zu thermisch vernetzbaren, Bis(diphenylamin)-substituierten Fluorenen etabliert und die hergestellten Derivate auf ihr thermisches Verhalten untersucht. Darüber hinaus wurden die thermischen Eigenschaften, sowie das Packungsverhalten von Dihydroindenofluoren-Derivaten in Abhängigkeit ihrer Substituenten untersucht. Hierbei wurden insbesondere paarweise Aryl- und Alkyl-substituierte Dihydroindenofluorene, sog. mixed indenofluorenes (MIFs), als vorteilhaft für die weitere Materialentwicklung im Rahmen dieser Arbeit identifiziert. Die MIF-Strukturen fanden ihre Anwendung in vernetzbaren, Oxetan-funktionalisierten Materialien, welche erfolgreich in mehrschichtigen, flüssigphasenprozessierten OLED-Bauteilen verwendet wurden. Die hergestellten Materialsysteme umfassten dabei vernetzbare Copolymere (PMIFs), sowie vernetzbare, niedermolekulare Arylamine (DPA-MIFs) und Donor-Akzeptor-Verbindungen. Eine hierbei entwickelte, neuartige Funktionalisierungsstrategie konnte darüber hinaus erfolgreich auf ein literaturbekanntes, hocheffizientes Emittermolekül übertragen werden, welches auf dem Prinzip der thermisch aktivierten, verzögerten Fluoreszenz (TADF) basiert

Uphononongo lwesimo sabalinganiswa kujongwe izenzo, iimpawu nemikhwa eyandulela nelandela ukubulala kwiincwadi ezikhethiweyo zesiXhosa

Olu phando luzondelele ukwenza umqela obonakalayo ekuhliseni inani lokubulawa nokuzibulala kwabantu ngokuthi luphengulule iimpawu ezibonakala phambi nasemva kokuzibandakanye nesi senzo. Olu gocagoco lweempawu luza kumncedisa umphandi aqaphele okuqhubeka engqondweni yombulali. Uphando luza kubuye lucebise okunokwenziwa ngabantu xa luthe lwaziqaphela ezi mpawu. Iimeko ezingqonge ababulali ziza kujongwa ngeliso elibukhali ukuba azinafuthe na kwiimeko ezityhalela ababulali kwizenzo zokukhupha imiphefumlo. Isahluko sokuqala yimbulambethe eyintsika yolu phando nezakuthi inike isikhokelo ngendlela oluza kuhamba ngayo uphando, luxovula uluncwadi kwaneendlela ezahlukileyo zophando eziza kusetyenziswa.Amagama angundoqo aza kusetyenziswa kolu phando aza kucaciswa. Isahluko sesibini simalunga neengcingane oluza kwayama ngazo olu phando. Eyonangcingane inkqenkqeza phambili kolu phando yingcigane yobume bengqondo nazakuthi umphandi ayicacise nzulu ukuze akhangele indlela ebachaphazela ngayo ababulali. Le ngcingane imalunga nendlela ingqondo yomntu echaphazeleka ngayo kokumngqongileyo kwaye ikwanikezela neendlela zokuyinyanga. Lolu lwazi ke umphandi aza kulusebenzisa ukuhlalutya imeko yombulali ngamnye kwiincwadi ezichongelwe uhlalutyo. Akhona namanye amangenelela eengcingane athe acaciswa kwesi sahluko nazakuthi umphandi awaqwabulule kwisahluko sesithathu nesesineindlela ayamana ngawo nezenzo zababulali. Kwisahluko sesithathu umphandi uza kuphengulula iimpawu ezibonakala kubabulali abakwiincwadi ezichongiweyo. Isahluko sesine sona ziza kujonga iindidi neendlela zokubulala kuze kucatshulwe kwiincwadi ezichongiweyo siphinde siqaphele nezizathu ezityhilizela ababulali kwezi zenzo zokukhupha imiphefumlo. Isahluko sesihlanu sona siza kubhenca okufunyaniswe luphando size sinike neengcebiso ezinokwenziwa ukunciphisa inanilabantu abakhupha imiphefumlo

2012 Manufacturers Safety Management System Pilot Project Report Design and Manufacturing Organizations

In October, 2009, the Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) chartered a team to conduct the Manufacturers\u27 Safety Management Systems (MSMS) pilot project. The pilot project began in January, 2011, and encourages voluntary implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) among aviation Design and Manufacturing (D&M) organizations in order to allow the FAA to assess how to provide oversight of these systems. Eleven companies representing the breadth of organizations that AIR oversees participated. The MSMS pilot project culminated in December, 2012. Information, results, and lessons learned from the pilot project were captured via the MSMS Teams\u27 final deliverable to AIR-150. The report was prepared by a number of members, including Alan J. Stolzer of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Materiale Phänomenologie und „Deutscher Krieg“: Zum Briefwechsel von Max Scheler und Siegfried Kracauer

Abstract Max Scheler and Siegfried Kracauer met during World War I and remained in correspondence until the early phase of the Weimar Republic. The two exchanged ideas and plans, and at times Kracauer sent his early essays for Scheler’s comments on and recommendations for publishing them. The correspondence brings to light some revealing philosophical similarities between the two authors: both Scheler and Kracauer were interested in material phenomenology, the philosophy of emotions, formal sociology; moreover, they also enthusiastically supported the German war. In 1921, the conversation broke off, presumably because of the sharp criticism of Scheler’s study “Vom Ewigen im Menschen,” which Kracauer published in the Frankfurter Zeitung that same year. But even after the end of the exchange, Scheler remained an intellectual point of reference in Kracauer’s thinking. This becomes evident from the detailed reviews he wrote of Scheler’s works until the end of the Weimar period. The essay attempts to historically situate and philosophically reconstruct the correspondence between Scheler and Kracauer presented in this issue. In this way, a constellation of thought in the 1910s and 1920s becomes visible – one that that has received little attention to date