Any space left? Homeless resistance by place-type in Los Angeles County

This study develops a more nuanced concept of homeless resistance, incorporating a range of resistance behaviors (exit, adaptation, persistence, and voice) that bridge the gap between current frameworks that either romanticize or ignore it. We also consider the possibility that different kinds of space may theoretically allow for different kinds of resistance. To this end, we employ an ecological approach to homeless space by classifying Los Angeles County into three place-types (prime, transitional, and marginal). We empirically consider the issue of resistance within the hardening context among a group of 25 homeless informants, focusing on whether and how some of them have exercised their voices and sought to ameliorate one or more aspects of their situation, as well as how resistance may vary by place-type

Towards a contextual approach to the place–homeless survival nexus: An exploratory case study of Los Angeles County

The characteristics of the immediate locale greatly affect the ability of homeless people to adapt to life on the street and in shelters, with different types of places nurturing different circumstances for survival. Current conceptualizations of the place–survival nexus are too narrow, relying on small-scale, intensive studies of particular places that are known to sustain homeless survival while ignoring more suburban and exurban locales, as well as failing to set these places of survival within the larger socio-economic spaces of the metropolitan area. Further, the literature is heavily qualitative, lacking any kind of ‘‘big picture” quantitative assessment of the nexus. In response, we contribute to the place–survival nexus literature by developing a typology of space for homeless survival and then use interview data to examine the variation in survival strategies across three types of urban space in Los Angeles County. Our results speak to how our innovative and exploratory approach enabled a broader, more extensive and variegated understanding of place–survival among homeless people than previous studie

From Computational Theory to Psychology and Neurophysiology -- a case study from vision

This report describes research done at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Support for the laboratory's artificial intelligence research is provided in part by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense under Office of Naval Research contract N00014-75-C-0643.The CNS needs to be understood at four nearly independent levels of description: (1) that at which the nature of a computation is expressed; (2) that at which the algorithms that implement a computation are characterised; (3) that at which an algorithm is committed to particular mechanisms; and (4) that at which the mechanisms are realised in hardware. In general, the nature of a computation is determined by the problem to be solved, the mechanisms that are used depend upon the available hardware, and the particular algorithms chosen depend on the problem and on the available mechanisms. Examples are given of theories at each level from current research in vision, and a brief review of the immediate prospects for the field is given.MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agenc

Pragmatism before Poirier

Elektronische Version der gedr. Ausg. 199

Video Ergo Scio

Work reported herein was conducted at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology research program supported in part by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense and monitored by the Office of Naval Research under Contract Number N00014-70-A-0362-0005.An approach to vision research is described that combines ideas about low level processing with more abstract notions about the representation of knowledge in intelligent systems. A particular problem, of the representation of knowledge about the three-dimensional world, is discussed: the outline of a solution is given, and an experimental world of simple mechanical assemblies is described, in which the solution may be implemented and tested. A tentative summary is given of the knowledge that is required for operating in this world, and a research project is proposed.MIT Artificial Intelligence Laborator

Quantitative Aspects of the Computation Performed by Visual Cortex in the Cat, With a Note on a Function of Lateral Inhibition

Work reported herein was conducted at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology research program supported in part by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense and monitored by the Office of Naval Research under Contract Number N00014-70-A-0362-0005. Working Papers are informal papers intended for internal use.A quantitative summary is given of the computation that is performed by visual cortex in the cat. Part of this computation seems to be achieved using a sample-and-average technique; some quantitative features of this technique are briefly set out.MIT Artificial Intelligence Laborator

The Effect of Particle Strength on the Ballistic Resistance of Shear Thickening Fluids

The response of shear thickening fluids (STFs) under ballistic impact has received considerable attention due to its field-responsive nature. While efforts have primarily focused on the response of traditional ballistic fabrics impregnated with fluids, the response of pure STFs to penetration has received limited attention. In the present study, the ballistic response of pure STFs is investigated and the effect of fluid density and particle strength on ballistic performance is isolated. The loss of ballistic resistance of STFs at higher impact velocities is governed by particle strength, indicating the range of velocities over which they may provide effective armor solutions.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, INVESTMENT IN IT, AND PRODUCTIVITY

Previous literature on IT and productivity does not take into account different organizational goals and different management strategies for achieving these goals. But productivity and ROI relationships can easily differ as organizational goals and management strategies differ. Therefore, we argue, it is no longer appropriate to ask, "Does IT lead to productivity enhancement." or "Is the ROI on IT investments large or small or nonexistent? The better question is under what conditions of organizational climate and management choice does IT enhanced productivity result. To illustrate the powerful effect of organizational goals and management strategy on IT-productivity relationships, we examine the twenty year history of two of the largest IT users in the world: the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration. And we find that these two very similar agencies experienced very different results from massive investments in IT despite sharing a similar production function. There is nothing in micro economics however to explain the different strategies pursed by these managers. Instead we must turn to political and sociological models of organizations to understand the social construction of productivity results.Information Systems Working Papers Serie