On the Integration of Adaptive and Interactive Robotic Smart Spaces

© 2015 Mauro Dragone et al.. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License. (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)Enabling robots to seamlessly operate as part of smart spaces is an important and extended challenge for robotics R&D and a key enabler for a range of advanced robotic applications, such as AmbientAssisted Living (AAL) and home automation. The integration of these technologies is currently being pursued from two largely distinct view-points: On the one hand, people-centred initiatives focus on improving the user’s acceptance by tackling human-robot interaction (HRI) issues, often adopting a social robotic approach, and by giving to the designer and - in a limited degree – to the final user(s), control on personalization and product customisation features. On the other hand, technologically-driven initiatives are building impersonal but intelligent systems that are able to pro-actively and autonomously adapt their operations to fit changing requirements and evolving users’ needs,but which largely ignore and do not leverage human-robot interaction and may thus lead to poor user experience and user acceptance. In order to inform the development of a new generation of smart robotic spaces, this paper analyses and compares different research strands with a view to proposing possible integrated solutions with both advanced HRI and online adaptation capabilities.Peer reviewe

A template based user-teaching system for an Assistive Robot

Demographics issues, characterised by an increasing elderly population, are expected to be a major concern both in Europe and other countries around the world. A proposed cost and care solution to these issues has been suggested that uses assistive robots in 'smarthome' environments. The deployment of such integrated facilities presents many challenges, one of which concerns the customisation of such systems to meet the needs of the elderly person themselves. One approach is to allow the elderly person to actually teach the robot sufficient behaviours that meet their care requirements. The teaching could equally well be carried out by the elderly person's relatives or carers. The overriding premise being that teaching is both intuitive and 'non-technical'. As part of a European project investigating these issues we have deployed a commercially available robot in a fully sensorised but otherwise ordinary suburban house, and designed a non-technical teaching system, based on behavioural templates, to achieve this goal. We have evaluated this integrated system within the house with 20 participants in a Human-Robot interaction experiment. Results indicate that participants overall found the interface easy to use, and felt that they would be capable of using it in a real-life situation. There were also some salient individual differences within the sample

Removal of Trace Metal Contaminants from Potable Water by Electrocoagulation

This study investigated the effects of four operational and environmental variables on the removal of trace metal contaminants from drinking water by electrocoagulation (EC). Removal efficiencies for five metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel) were compared under varying combinations of electrode material, post-treatment, water composition and pH. Iron electrodes out-performed aluminum electrodes in removing chromium and arsenic. At pH 6.5, aluminum electrodes were slightly more effective at removing nickel and cadmium, while at pH 8.5, iron electrodes were more effective for these metals. Regardless of electrode, cadmium and nickel removal efficiencies were higher at pH 8.5 than at pH 6.5. Post-EC treatment using membrane filtration (0.45 μm) enhanced contaminant removal for all metals but nickel. With the exception of lead, all metals exhibited poorer removal efficiencies as the ionic strength of the background electrolyte increased, particularly in the very high-solids synthetic groundwaters. Residual aluminum concentrations were lowest at pH 6.5, while iron residuals were lowest in low ionic strength waters. Both aluminum and iron residuals required post-treatment filtration to meet drinking water standards. EC with post-treatment filtration appears to effectively remove trace metal contaminants to potable water standards, but both reactor and source water parameters critically impact removal efficiency

AN ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PURCHASE OF BEEF AND PORK VARIETY MEATS

This analysis uses a dichotomous qualitative response model to assess the influences of several economic and demographic characteristics of consumers on the purchase decision for variety (edible organ and offal) meats. Specific factors considered include education, age, income, household size, and ethnic heritage. Data collected from a survey of 3,340 consumers are utilized. Results confirm strong income, age, household size, and ethic effects on the purchase of variety meats.Consumer/Household Economics,

केंद्रीय समुद्री मात्स्यिकी अनुसंधान संस्थान का वेरावल अनुसंधान केंद्र

केंद्रीय समुद्री मात्स्यिकी अनुसंधान संस्थान का वेरावल अनुसंधान केंद्

Hatchery Technology and Seed Production of Lobsters

Lobsters are high-value seafood delicacies commanding high demand in international markets, with a high culinary value attached and lobster tails are always in great demand world-wide. Freshwater crayfishes, which are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, are a favourite aquaculture candidate in North America, Europe and Australia. Crayfish and rock lobster aquaculture practices are initially capital oriented but deliver high production and income turnover in the long run. This industry has already taken off in countries like the U.S.A. and Australia. The lobster fishery in India is supported by two groups of lobsters – the spiny lobsters (Palinurus homarus, P. polyphagus, P. ornatus and P. versicolor) and the scyllarid lobster (Thenus unimaculatus). Lobster culture in India is still in the infancy stage. With the distinction of being perhaps, the only seafood resource in India’s trade economy, which remains relatively low down the ladder in terms of quantity of production but brings in maximum foreign exchange, lobsters have been the subject of study for more than two decades now and C.M.F.R.I. has been spearheading research in the development of culture technologies for different species of lobsters

सौराषट्र के प्रमुख मत्स्य अवतरण केंद्र

प्रमुख मत्स्य अवतरण केंद्रों का विवर

Open sea cage farming of Asian sea bass Lates calcarifer in the Bay of Bengal, off Chennai- National Training on Sea cage farming- 2010

Controlled captive culture of fin fishes in open water bodies (seas, reservoirs, lakes) is mostly done in pens and cages. Open sea cage culture of the Asian sea bass Lates calcarifer ,was carried out for the first time in the Bay of Bengal off Chennai by CMFRI during February - August 2010. The execution of the programme began with the fabrication of suitable cages with proper accessories, identification of site, procuring and nursery rearing of seed, transportation and stocking of fingerlings and open sea rearing till harves

Black porpoise Neophocena phocaenoides, G. Cuvier landed in a dol net at Seemar, Gujarat

A black porpoise, Neophocaena phocaenoides Gi Cuvier was caught in a dol net operating off Seemar bunder, Gujarat. The animal is locally called "Gonio." Local enquiry revealed that though there is no regular or targeted fishery for dolphins or porpoises, there have been stray occurrences of these mammals being captured by dol nets operated in the area. The nets {16 m long) are usually operated at a depth of 8 m. The locals utilize the oil extracted from these animals for application on their wooden boats

Seed production of the Sand lobster Thenus orientalis(Lund)

Lobsters are among the most priced seafood delicacies enjoying a special demand in international markets. As against a world average annual productio'n of2.1 lakh tonnes, India's average annual lobster production is about 2000 tonnes. With the distinction of being perhaps, the only seafood resource in India's trade economy, which remains relatively low down the ladder in terms of quantity of production but brings in maximum foreign exchange, lobsters have been the subject of study for more than two decades now. The lobster fishery in India is supported by two groups of lobsters - the spiny lobsters (Palinurus homarus, P. polyphagus, P. ornatus and P. versicolor) and the scylla rid lobster (Thenus orientalis)