Search-Based Motion Planning for Performance Autonomous Driving

Driving on the limits of vehicle dynamics requires predictive planning of future vehicle states. In this work, a search-based motion planning is used to generate suitable reference trajectories of dynamic vehicle states with the goal to achieve the minimum lap time on slippery roads. The search-based approach enables to explicitly consider a nonlinear vehicle dynamics model as well as constraints on states and inputs so that even challenging scenarios can be achieved in a safe and optimal way. The algorithm performance is evaluated in simulated driving on a track with segments of different curvatures.Comment: Accepted to IAVSD 201

Robot Mapping and Localisation for Feature Sparse Water Pipes Using Voids as Landmarks

Robotic systems for water pipe inspection do not generally include navigation components for mapping the pipe network and locating damage. Such navigation systems would be highly advantageous for water companies because it would allow them to more effectively target maintenance and reduce costs. In water pipes, a major challenge for robot navigation is feature sparsity. In order to address this problem, a novel approach for robot navigation in water pipes is developed here, which uses a new type of landmark feature - voids outside the pipe wall, sensed by ultrasonic scanning. The method was successfully demonstrated in a laboratory environment and showed for the first time the potential of using voids for robot navigation in water pipes

VeTrack

Although location awareness and turn-by-turn instructions are prevalent outdoors due to GPS, we are back into the darkness in uninstrumented indoor environments such as underground parking structures. We get confused, disoriented when driving in these mazes, and frequently forget where we parked, ending up circling back and forth upon return. In this paper, we propose VeTrack, a smartphone-only system that tracks the vehicle's location in real time using the phone's inertial sensors. It does not require any environment instrumentation or cloud backend. It uses a novel "shadow" tracing method to accurately estimate the vehicle's trajectories despite arbitrary phone/vehicle poses and frequent disturbances. We develop algorithms in a Sequential Monte Carlo framework to represent vehicle states probabilistically, and harness constraints by the garage map and detected landmarks to robustly infer the vehicle location. We also find landmark (e.g.,speed bumps, turns) recognition methods reliable against noises, disturbances from bumpy rides and even hand-held movements. We implement a highly efficient prototype and conduct extensive experiments in multiple parking structures of different sizes and structures, with multiple vehicles and drivers. We find that VeTrack can estimate the vehicle's real time location with almost negligible latency, with error of 2 similar to 4 parking spaces at 80-percentile.EICPCI-S(ISTP)[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Relación entre las cantidades de cobre y zinc administradas a pacientes graves con nutrición parenteral total y los niveles de cobre y zinc en plasma y eritrocitos Relationship between the amount of copper and zinc given to critically ill patients on total parenteral nutrition and plasma and erythrocyte copper and zinc levels

Objetivos: Evitar tanto las complicaciones por deficiencia de zinc y de cobre como los efectos adversos del exceso en pacientes graves que requirieron nutrición parenteral, estudiando la relación entre las cantidades de zinc y de cobre administradas en las mezclas de nutrición parenteral y los cambios en algunos indicadores bioquímicos de los pacientes, con respecto a zinc y cobre. Pacientes y metodología: 29 pacientes graves, adultos, con pancreatitis o sometidos a cirugía mayor abdominal. Se determinó, al inicio y al final del tratamiento (5-21 días): cobre y zinc en las mezclas de nutrición parenteral administradas y en eritrocitos (GR), zinc en plasma y cobre en suero (Espectrometría de Absorción Atómica). Resultados (promedio ± DE, rangos: entre paréntesis): los valores de zinc y cobre en las mezclas de nutrición parenteral fueron (μg/mL): zinc: 4,2 ± 1,7 (1,8 a 9,3); cobre: 0,94 ± 0,66 (0,1 a 3,1); zinc plasmático (μg/dl): inicio 80 ± 45 (29-205); final: 122 ± 56 (37-229); zinc eritrocitario (μg/dl): inicio: 2.300 ± 1.070 (790-5280); final: 2.160± 920 (790-4.440); cobre sérico (μg/dl): inicio: 124 ± 35 (62-211); final: 128 ± 41 (60-238); cobre eritrocitario (μg/dl): inicio: 72 ± 39 (4-183); final: 70 ± 41 (9-156). Los cambios porcentuales de los niveles de zinc eritrocitario correlacionaron con el zinc (mg/d) en las mezclas de nutrición parenteral (r = 0,38). Las variaciones de cobre sérico y eritrocitario correlacionaron positivamente con los valores de cobre administrado (mg/d) en las mezclas de nutrición parenteral (r = 0,31 y 0,26, respectivamente). Conclusiones: Estos resultados evidenciaron que: 1) las determinaciones de zinc eritrocitario, cobre sérico o eritrocitario serían de utilidad para controlar los niveles de zinc y de cobre administrados en las mezclas de nutrición parenteral a los pacientes graves; 2) las dosis de zinc deberían ser menores a 8,1 mg/d, y 3) no sería aconsejable administrar dosis de cobre superiores a 1,2 mg/d.Objectives: Complications resulting from zinc and copper deficiency, or adverse effects from excessive zinc and copper intake should be avoided during total parenteral nutrition (TPN). This study was conducted on critically ill patients requiring TPN to determine the relationship between the zinc and copper levels of the TPN mixtures, patients' clinical progression, and changes in plasma levels of zinc, serum levels of copper, and erythrocyte levels of zinc and copper. Patients and methods: 29 adult critically ill patients following pancreatitis or after a major abdominal surgery were studied. Zinc and copper levels in TPN, plasmatic zinc levels, copper serum levels and erythrocyte levels of zinc and copper were determined at the onset and at the end of the treatment (5-21 days) (using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry). Results: The mean ± standard deviation (and ranges in parenthesis) of zinc and copper levels in TPN were (μg/mL): zinc: 4.2 ± 1.7 (1.8 a 9.3); copper: 0.94 ± 0.66 (0.1 a 3.1). Biochemical parameters at the onset and at the end of the treatment were, respectively: (μg/mL): plasmatic zinc: 80 ± 45 (29-205) and 122 ± 56 (37-229); erythrocyte zinc: 2,300 ± 1,070 (790-5,280) and 2,160 ± 920 (790-4,440); serum copper (μg/dL): 124 ± 35 (62-211) and 128 ± 41 (60- 238); erythrocyte copper (μg/dl): 72 ± 39 (4-183) and 70 ± 41 (9-156). Plasmatic and erythrocyte zinc levels did not correlated neither at the onset nor at the end of the treatment. Changes in erythrocyte zinc levels correlated with daily administered zinc (mg/d) in the parenteral nutrition (r = 0.38). Serum copper and erythrocyte copper showed significant correlation at the onset (p = 0.0005) and at the end of treatment (p = 0.008). Changes of serum or erythrocyte copper levels showed a significant correlation with daily administered copper (r = 0.31 and 0.26, respectively). Conclusions: These results show that: 1) determination of erythrocyte zinc and copper levels in these critically ill patients would help to control zinc and copper administration levels in TPN and avoid adverse effects; 2) TPN Zn levels should be less than 8.1 mg/d, and 3) TPN Cu levels higher than 1.2 mg/d would not be recommended