Smart and networking underwater robots in cooperation meshes : the swarms ECSEL : H2020 project

The work presented on this paper is aimed to explain the role that unmanned underwater vehicles (AUVs/ROVs) plays in the ECSEL-H2020 SWARMS project. The main goal of the project is to reduce the operational cost and increase the safety of tasks assigned to divers in these operations. This will be achieved enabling the AUVs/ROVs to work in a cooperative mesh. The challenge is to design and develop an integrated platform (a set of Software/Hardware components), incorporated into the current generation of underwater vehicles in order to improve autonomy, cooperation, robustness, cost-effectiveness, and reliability of the offshore operations. The first demonstration of the project will be performed at PLOCAN (Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands) where these technologies will be validated on its first stage.Peer Reviewe

Controle biológico de percevejos fitófagos da soja na região de Dourados, MS.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o parasitismo natural que ocorre em adultos e em ovos do percevejo-marrom da soja Euschistus heros (Fabricius), bem como multiplicar o parasitóide Telenomus podisi (Ashmead) e liberá-lo em lavouras de soja, visando ao controle biológico do percevejo nesta cultura. Durante a safra 2004/2005 e 2005/2006 e nas entressafras de 2004, 2005 e 2006 foram coletados adultos do percevejo, enquanto nas safras de 2003/2004 e 2004/2005 foram coletadas massas de ovos do inseto durante o período reprodutivo da sojabitstream/item/38732/1/BP200740.pdfDocumento on-line

Unification of the conditional probability and semiclassical interpretations for the problem of time in quantum theory

We show that the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation (TDSE) is the phenomenological dynamical law of evolution unraveled in the classical limit from a timeless formulation in terms of probability amplitudes conditioned by the values of suitably chosen internal clock variables, thereby unifying the conditional probability interpretation (CPI) and the semiclassical approach for the problem of time in quantum theory. Our formalism stems from an exact factorization of the Hamiltonian eigenfunction of the clock plus system composite, where the clock and system factors play the role of marginal and conditional probability amplitudes, respectively. Application of the Variation Principle leads to a pair of exact coupled pseudoeigenvalue equations for these amplitudes, whose solution requires an iterative self-consistent procedure. The equation for the conditional amplitude constitutes an effective "equation of motion" for the quantum state of the system with respect to the clock variables. These coupled equations also provide a convenient framework for treating the back-reaction of the system on the clock at various levels of approximation. At the lowest level, when the WKB approximation for the marginal amplitude is appropriate, in the classical limit of the clock variables the TDSE for the system emerges as a matter of course from the conditional equation. In this connection, we provide a discussion of the characteristics required by physical systems to serve as good clocks. This development is seen to be advantageous over the original CPI and semiclassical approach since it maintains the essence of the conventional formalism of quantum mechanics, admits a transparent interpretation, avoids the use of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, and resolves various objections raised about them.Comment: 10 pages. Typographical errors correcte

The UN in the lab

We consider two alternatives to inaction for governments combating terrorism, which we term Defense and Prevention. Defense consists of investing in resources that reduce the impact of an attack, and generates a negative externality to other governments, making their countries a more attractive objective for terrorists. In contrast, Prevention, which consists of investing in resources that reduce the ability of the terrorist organization to mount an attack, creates a positive externality by reducing the overall threat of terrorism for all. This interaction is captured using a simple 3×3 “Nested Prisoner’s Dilemma” game, with a single Nash equilibrium where both countries choose Defense. Due to the structure of this interaction, countries can benefit from coordination of policy choices, and international institutions (such as the UN) can be utilized to facilitate coordination by implementing agreements to share the burden of Prevention. We introduce an institution that implements a burden-sharing policy for Prevention, and investigate experimentally whether subjects coordinate on a cooperative strategy more frequently under different levels of cost sharing. In all treatments, burden sharing leaves the Prisoner’s Dilemma structure and Nash equilibrium of the game unchanged. We compare three levels of burden sharing to a baseline in a between-subjects design, and find that burden sharing generates a non-linear effect on the choice of the efficient Prevention strategy and overall performance. Only an institution supporting a high level of mandatory burden sharing generates a significant improvement in the use of the Prevention strategy