Conservative collision prediction and avoidance for stochastic trajectories in continuous time and space

Existing work in multi-agent collision prediction and avoidance typically assumes discrete-time trajectories with Gaussian uncertainty or that are completely deterministic. We propose an approach that allows detection of collisions even between continuous, stochastic trajectories with the only restriction that means and variances can be computed. To this end, we employ probabilistic bounds to derive criterion functions whose negative sign provably is indicative of probable collisions. For criterion functions that are Lipschitz, an algorithm is provided to rapidly find negative values or prove their absence. We propose an iterative policy-search approach that avoids prior discretisations and yields collision-free trajectories with adjustably high certainty. We test our method with both fixed-priority and auction-based protocols for coordinating the iterative planning process. Results are provided in collision-avoidance simulations of feedback controlled plants.Comment: This preprint is an extended version of a conference paper that is to appear in \textit{Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS 2014)

Proposed Category System for 1960-2000 Census Occupations

This paper proposes a detailed, consistent category system for occupations in the Census of Population data from 1960 to 2000. Most of the categories are based on the 1990 Census occupation definitions. We analyze employment levels, average earnings levels, and earnings variance in our occupation categories over time, compare these to similar trends for occupations defined in the occ1950 IPUMS classification, and test both classifications for consistency over time.occupations; jobs; classification; categories; metadata; Census; IPUMS

Migration - utopia or myopia?

Peter Osborne spent a sabbatical in northern America and was surprised that so many scientists and students stated that caribou migration was largely the result of mosquito pressure. He failed however to find any documented evidence of this claim although he was constantly confronted by the well known «facts» that mosquitoes had been observed to drive caribou crazy and even kill juveniles. The issue Osborne wishes to focus is that an experimentally unsubstantiated anthropomorphism appears to have become critical evidence in support of a theory. A recent article in Nature (393, 511-513, 1998) devoted to the uses of 'science in fiction' to stimulate thought and discussion about aspects of academia encouraged him to write the following comment in the form of a parody of ancient Greek dialogues

Quantum phases of a chain of strongly interacting anyons

We study a strongly interacting chain of anyons with fusion rules determined by SO(5)2. The phase portrait is identified with a combination of numerical and analytical techniques. Several critical phases with different central charges and their corresponding transitions identified.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure