EV-Planner: Energy-Efficient Robot Navigation via Event-Based Physics-Guided Neuromorphic Planner

Vision-based object tracking is an essential precursor to performing autonomous aerial navigation in order to avoid obstacles. Biologically inspired neuromorphic event cameras are emerging as a powerful alternative to frame-based cameras, due to their ability to asynchronously detect varying intensities (even in poor lighting conditions), high dynamic range, and robustness to motion blur. Spiking neural networks (SNNs) have gained traction for processing events asynchronously in an energy-efficient manner. On the other hand, physics-based artificial intelligence (AI) has gained prominence recently, as they enable embedding system knowledge via physical modeling inside traditional analog neural networks (ANNs). In this letter, we present an event-based physics-guided neuromorphic planner (EV-Planner) to perform obstacle avoidance using neuromorphic event cameras and physics-based AI. We consider the task of autonomous drone navigation where the mission is to detect moving gates and fly through them while avoiding a collision. We use event cameras to perform object detection using a shallow spiking neural network in an unsupervised fashion. Utilizing the physical equations of the brushless DC motors present in the drone rotors, we train a lightweight energy-aware physics-guided neural network with depth inputs. This predicts the optimal flight time responsible for generating near-minimum energy paths. We spawn the drone in the Gazebo simulator and implement a sensor-fused vision-to-planning neuro-symbolic framework using Robot Operating System (ROS). Simulation results for safe collision-free flight trajectories are presented with performance analysis and potential future research direction

Detailed epidemiological analysis of cerebrovascular disease, the first study from Eastern India

Background: Prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) is rising in India along with its morbid impact. Till now there is no study from Eastern India to reflect the current scenario of cerebrovascular diseases in this part of world. This study destined to know and analyse several epidemiologic factors behind cerebrovascular diseases in Eastern India.Methods: 108 patients who were admitted with symptoms of stroke were analysed based on several parameters. They were investigated, treated and their outcomes were followed.Results: Correlation between clinical findings and radiological confirmation was much more in case of infarction (65%) compared to haemorrhagic cases (22%). Superior division of the middle cerebral artery was the commonest site get involved in infarction cases and internal capsule area is the most commonly involved area in lacunar infarction almost one third of haemorrhagic patients had intraventricular extension. Most common association with this was thalamic bleeding although most common site of haemorrhage was lentiform nucleus. Among the patients with hemorrhage with intraventricular extension 50% were thalamic bleed and 50% were non thalamic bleed (mainly lentiform nucleus). In hospital mortality rate was found to be highest in non-thalamic group (63%). Overall mortality in non-thalamic bleed was higher though not statistically significant.Conclusions: Haemorrhagic CVD is much more prevalent in this part of world compared to western population. Clinico radiologic correlation is much more in ischaemic infarction hypertension and smoking are two strong associations in cerebrovascular diseases.

New high precision study on the decay width of the Hoyle state in C-12

Precise estimation of the rare direct 3α decay of the Hoyle state of 12C has been made to unveil its unusual α-cluster configurations ranging from linear 3α chain structure to diffuse Bose gas as well as Bose Einstein condensate. The present new high precision, nearly zero background experimental study with Hoyle events has converged on the upper limit for direct decay at ∼0.019% with 95% confidence limit, which is more than a factor of 2 lower than the limit obtained in the previous studies.Two of the authors (S.B. and A.R.) acknowledge the financial support received as Raja Ramanna Fellowship from the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India

Prevalence of Novel Risk Factors in Patients of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Eastern India: A Detailed Analysis

Background: To identify prevalence of the novel risk factors among young patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and having no or minimal conventional risk factors. Methods Total 70 patients (male 48, female 22) who were admitted in our hospital with ACS, without any traditional risk factors were analyzed for hsCRP [highly sensitive C reactive protein], Lp(a) [Lipoprotein(a)], Homocysteine and uric acid level. Results 44.29% of the study population have high values of hs-CRP, more in older age group but not significant (40 yrs) (P=0.79). High homocysteine present in 42.86% of cases, more in older age (>40 yrs) (54.55%) than <40 years age (23.08%) which is statistically significant (P-0.01). High uric acid level found in 32.86% of cases without any significant age and sex difference. High Lp(a) level is found in 41.43% of cases more among ≥40 years (50%) than <40 years (26.92%), the difference was not found to be statistically significant. [Chi-square = 3.587; P=0.058; OR=2.71 95% CI= 0.95 – 7.7]. Conclusions hsCRP is most useful cost effective screening method for ACS in younger individual among all other parameters in this part of world

Detailed epidemiological analysis of cerebrovascular disease, the first study from Eastern India

Background: Prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) is rising in India along with its morbid impact. Till now there is no study from Eastern India to reflect the current scenario of cerebrovascular diseases in this part of world. This study destined to know and analyse several epidemiologic factors behind cerebrovascular diseases in Eastern India.Methods: 108 patients who were admitted with symptoms of stroke were analysed based on several parameters. They were investigated, treated and their outcomes were followed.Results: Correlation between clinical findings and radiological confirmation was much more in case of infarction (65%) compared to haemorrhagic cases (22%). Superior division of the middle cerebral artery was the commonest site get involved in infarction cases and internal capsule area is the most commonly involved area in lacunar infarction almost one third of haemorrhagic patients had intraventricular extension. Most common association with this was thalamic bleeding although most common site of haemorrhage was lentiform nucleus. Among the patients with hemorrhage with intraventricular extension 50% were thalamic bleed and 50% were non thalamic bleed (mainly lentiform nucleus). In hospital mortality rate was found to be highest in non-thalamic group (63%). Overall mortality in non-thalamic bleed was higher though not statistically significant.Conclusions: Haemorrhagic CVD is much more prevalent in this part of world compared to western population. Clinico radiologic correlation is much more in ischaemic infarction hypertension and smoking are two strong associations in cerebrovascular diseases.

Effect of gamma ray irradiation on optical and luminescence properties of CeO2 doped bismuth glass

High lead oxide based Radiation Shielding Window (RSW) glass is highly toxic in nature and thus health haz-ardous. Therefore, a new way to design environmental friendly non-toxic lead-free RSW glass for nuclear application is very much required. In this work, a lead-free non-toxic glass based on multi-component Bi2O3--BaO-B2O3-ZnO-As2O3-MgO-Na2O system has been studied with different concentrations of cerium oxide (CeO2) as doping agent for enhancing radiation shielding effect. The optical properties of cerium doped bismuth based lead-free radiation shielding glass after exposure to gamma radiation up to 105 rad have been studied. The densities of glass varied from 4.59 to 5.05 g/cc on varying concentrations of bismuth oxide and boron trioxide in glass system. The transmission properties in visible regions from 400 to 1000 nm are investigated through UV-visible spectrometer after exposure to gamma radiation on developed glass using 60Co Gamma Chamber GC5000. The structure of glass as characterized by Raman spectroscopy, XRD, Photoluminescence (PL), FESEM with EDAX, refractive index measurement and dilatometry test has been correlated with its properties. The developed bismuth glass could find its application as lead-free RSW glass in nuclear reactors as an alternative to high lead containing glass

Low Expansion Glass-Ceramics Using Industrial Waste and Low-cost Aluminosilicate Minerals: Fabrication and Characterizations

The recycling of the wastes towards value added product development has become a prime challenge. In this work, a low thermal expansion glass-ceramic material based on ternary LAS (Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2) system has been prepared by adopting meltquenching route using industrial waste (blast furnace slag) and low-cost aluminosilicate minerals (China clay and pyrophyllite) at relatively low melting temperature (similar to 1450 degrees C). A part of the precursor powder for pristine glass has also been prepared by sol-gel processing utilizing Li2CO3 and Al(NO3)(3).9H(2)O to obtain better homogeneity in the glass composition vis-a-vis glass-ceramics at lower melting temperature. Thermal properties of the material have been characterized to optimize the nucleation and crystallization temperatures for converting glass to glass-ceramics. Phase structure and surface morphology of the glass-ceramics have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy. XRD study reveals the presence of lithium aluminosilicate as a major phase at the crystallization temperature of 730 degrees C. The developed glass-ceramics show a low thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) value of (19 +/- 0.5)x10(-7)/degrees C in the temperature range of 30 degrees-500 degrees C. The present work can unfold an avenue towards conversion of waste into wealth in the form of low CTE glass-ceramics for possible application as cook-top plate of LPG gas oven

In situ synthesized TiB–TiN reinforcedTi6Al4Valloy composite coatings: Microstructure, tribological and in-vitro biocompatibility

Wear resistant TiB–TiN reinforced Ti6Al4V alloy composite coatings were deposited on Ti substrate using laser based additive manufacturing technology. Ti6Al4V alloy powder premixed with 5wt% and 15wt% of boronnitride(BN)powder was used to synthesize TiB–TiN reinforcements in situ during laser deposition. Influences of laser power, scanning speed and concentration of BN on the microstructure, mechanical, in vitro tribological and biologicalproperties of the coatings were investigated