Quantifying the Human Likeness of a Humanoid Robot

In research of human-robot interactions, human likeness (HL) of robots is frequently used as an individual, vague parameter to describe how a robot is perceived by a human. However, such a simplification of HL is often not sufficient given the complexity and multidimensionality of human-robot interaction. Therefore, HL must be seen as a variable influenced by a network of parameter fields. The first goal of this paper is to introduce such a network which systematically characterizes all relevant aspects of HL. The network is subdivided into ten parameter fields, five describing static aspects of appearance and five describing dynamic aspects of behavior. The second goal of this paper is to propose a methodology to quantify the impact of single or multiple parameters out of these fields on perceived HL. Prior to quantification, the minimal perceivable difference, i.e. the threshold of perception, is determined for the parameters of interest in a first experiment. Thereafter, these parameters are modified in whole-number multiple of the threshold of perception to investigate their influence on perceived HL in a second experiment. This methodology was illustrated on the parameters speed and sequencing (onset of joint movements) of the parameter field movement as well as on the parameter sound. Results revealed that the perceived HL is more sensitive to changes in sequencing than to changes in speed. The sound of the motors during the movement also reduced perceived HL. The presented methodology should guide further, systematic explorations of the proposed network of HL parameters in order to determine and optimize acceptance of humanoid robots

Tidal and groundwater fluxes to a shallow, microtidal estuary : constraining inputs through field observations and hydrodynamic modeling

This paper is not subject to U.S. copyright. The definitive version was published in Estuaries and Coasts 35 (2012): 1285-1298, doi:10.1007/s12237-012-9515-x.Increased nutrient loading to estuaries has led to eutrophication, degraded water quality, and ecological transformations. Quantifying nutrient loads in systems with significant groundwater input can be difficult due to the challenge of measuring groundwater fluxes. We quantified tidal and freshwater fluxes over an 8-week period at the entrance of West Falmouth Harbor, Massachusetts, a eutrophic, groundwater-fed estuary. Fluxes were estimated from velocity and salinity measurements and a total exchange flow (TEF) methodology. Intermittent cross-sectional measurements of velocity and salinity were used to convert point measurements to cross-sectionally averaged values over the entire deployment (index relationships). The estimated mean freshwater flux (0.19 m3/s) for the 8-week period was mainly due to groundwater input (0.21 m3/s) with contributions from precipitation to the estuary surface (0.026 m3/s) and removal by evaporation (0.048 m3/s). Spring–neap variations in freshwater export that appeared in shorter-term averages were mostly artifacts of the index relationships. Hydrodynamic modeling with steady groundwater input demonstrated that while the TEF methodology resolves the freshwater flux signal, calibration of the index– salinity relationships during spring tide conditions only was responsible for most of the spring–neap signal. The mean freshwater flux over the entire period estimated from the combination of the index-velocity, index–salinity, and TEF calculations were consistent with the model, suggesting that this methodology is a reliable way of estimating freshwater fluxes in the estuary over timescales greater than the spring– neap cycle. Combining this type of field campaign with hydrodynamic modeling provides guidance for estimating both magnitude of groundwater input and estuarine storage of freshwater and sets the stage for robust estimation of the nutrient load in groundwater.Funding was provided by the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program and by National Science Foundation Award #0420575 from the Biocomplexity/Coupled Biogeochemical Cycles Program

Overview of system responsiveness to climate change impacts in energy, transport and tourist sectors

ToPDAd aims to provide a set of best-practice climate-change-strategies for regional stakeholders and decision makers in the sectors Energy, Tourism and Transport. These strategies are developed and supported by a state-of-the-art toolset of methodologies and models. To acquire a database on which these methodologies can be applied and from which strategic conclusions can be derived, different sector-specific as well as cross-sectorial case themes are studied in WP2. In Deliverable 2.3 these case themes are defined, including the specification of each case theme scenario. For each case the stepwise (modelling) approach is outlined, the planned output is described, and the system responsiveness is discussed. Furthermore, the baseline scenario combinations defined in Deliverable 2.1 are summarized and individual, case specific assumptions and scenario extensions are formulated. A general alignment for the baseline scenarios as well as a stepwise approach of the cases building on these baselines is proposed, so as to facilitate both comparability of case-theme results and use of the case-theme simulation results in subsequent steps (macro-economic models; and toolbox) in ToPDAd. The common baseline scenarios consist of three different combinations of representative concentration pathways (RCP) and shared socio-economic pathways (SSP). The first baseline scenario represents a sustainability oriented, open and co-operative world with low adaptation needs, the second scenario a divided world with moderate adaptation needs where Europe remains relatively wealthy and contributes to climate change mitigation and the third a growth oriented world with low regulation and high adaptation needs. These scenarios are explained in more detail in Deliverable 2.1. Each case theme implements some or all of these baseline scenarios. The different case themes cover different geographical areas and different weather situations (e.g. droughts vs. heavy rainfalls). Accordingly, they have very specific needs for weather and climate data. UAE is the only institution providing weather data in the project which ensures consistency across all case themes. The specific case themes are selected, defined and refined based on stakeholders’ feedbacks acquired in the recent months as part of WP6 of ToPDAd. This direct consultancy and involvement of the project’s target group guarantees relevancy and quality of the case themes. The case themes are sector-specific or cross-sectorial depending on which sectors are relevantly affected by the studied phenomena. The selected case themes are: Case-Theme 1 – Decreasing Snow Reliability (Sector: Tourism, Lead Beneficiary: JR): Decreasing reliability of winter snow cover in Alpine and Nordic ski tourist areas – common and different effects. Case-Theme 2 – Rise of Average Summer Temperatures (Tourism, JR): Rise of average summer temperatures and long term implications for summertime tourism – spatial and seasonal redistributions. Case-Theme 3 – Impact of Arctic Ice Melting (Transport, TML): Retreat of Arctic sea ice cover – implications for international logistics in Europe and beyond. Case-Theme 4 – Weather Extremes and Traffic (Transport, TML): Larger intra- & inter-seasonal variations in weather, incl. extremes – higher frequencies of unfavourable conditions (e.g. heavy rain). Case-Theme 5 – Variations in Energy Production (Energy, VTT): Larger intra- & inter-seasonal variability in power generation based on runoff, solar insolation and winds - implications for hydro, solar and wind power generation as well as the second order impacts in the rest of the power system. Case-Theme 6 – Effects of Flooding on Energy, Transport and Tourism (Cross-sectorial, 4CMR): Extreme weather events leading to flooding cause damage to a wide variety of infrastructure and production capacity in cities. Such damage can result in significant direct and indirect economic effects, which in turn can be reduced through allocation of resources to adaptation. Case-Theme 7 – Effects of protracted Drought and Heatwave on Energy, Transport and Tourism (Cross-sectorial, 4CMR): Protracted drought has lowered water levels and raised temperatures in rivers France, Germany and Benelux thereby seriously limiting cooling water availability. Despite maximum use of inter-regional transmission capacity it curtails electricity supply in various regions, while demand has risen due to a heat wave. Longer term changes in precipitation and temperature affect biomass production in Austria, curtailing availability of biomass for energy

Clinical Proton MR Spectroscopy in Central Nervous System Disorders.

A large body of published work shows that proton (hydrogen 1 [(1)H]) magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy has evolved from a research tool into a clinical neuroimaging modality. Herein, the authors present a summary of brain disorders in which MR spectroscopy has an impact on patient management, together with a critical consideration of common data acquisition and processing procedures. The article documents the impact of (1)H MR spectroscopy in the clinical evaluation of disorders of the central nervous system. The clinical usefulness of (1)H MR spectroscopy has been established for brain neoplasms, neonatal and pediatric disorders (hypoxia-ischemia, inherited metabolic diseases, and traumatic brain injury), demyelinating disorders, and infectious brain lesions. The growing list of disorders for which (1)H MR spectroscopy may contribute to patient management extends to neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, and stroke. To facilitate expanded clinical acceptance and standardization of MR spectroscopy methodology, guidelines are provided for data acquisition and analysis, quality assessment, and interpretation. Finally, the authors offer recommendations to expedite the use of robust MR spectroscopy methodology in the clinical setting, including incorporation of technical advances on clinical units. © RSNA, 2014 Online supplemental material is available for this article.Consensus Pape

A Middle Pleistocene Denisovan molar from the Annamite Chain of northern Laos.

The Pleistocene presence of the genus Homo in continental Southeast Asia is primarily evidenced by a sparse stone tool record and rare human remains. Here we report a Middle Pleistocene hominin specimen from Laos, with the discovery of a molar from the Tam Ngu Hao 2 (Cobra Cave) limestone cave in the Annamite Mountains. The age of the fossil-bearing breccia ranges between 164-131 kyr, based on the Bayesian modelling of luminescence dating of the sedimentary matrix from which it was recovered, U-series dating of an overlying flowstone, and U-series-ESR dating of associated faunal teeth. Analyses of the internal structure of the molar in tandem with palaeoproteomic analyses of the enamel indicate that the tooth derives from a young, likely female, Homo individual. The close morphological affinities with the Xiahe specimen from China indicate that they belong to the same taxon and that Tam Ngu Hao 2 most likely represents a Denisovan

Interactions of intermediate semiquinone with surrounding protein residues at the QH site of wild-type and D75H mutant cytochrome bo 3 from Escherichia coli

Selective (15)N isotope labeling of the cytochrome bo(3) ubiquinol oxidase from E. coli with auxotrophs was used to characterize the hyperfine couplings with the side-chain nitrogens from R71, H98, and Q101 residues and peptide nitrogens from R71 and H98 residues around the semiquinone (SQ) at the high-affinity Q(H) site. The 2D ESEEM (HYSCORE) data have directly identified the N(ε) of R71 as an H-bond donor carrying the largest amount of the unpaired spin density. In addition, weaker hyperfine couplings with the side-chain nitrogens from all residues around the SQ were determined. These hyperfine couplings reflect a distribution of the unpaired spin density over the protein in the SQ state of the Q(H) site and strength of interaction with different residues. The approach was extended to the virtually inactive D75H mutant, where the intermediate SQ is also stabilized. We found that the N(ε) from a histidine residue, presumably H75, carries most of the unpaired spin density instead of the N(ε) of R71, as in the wild-type bo(3). However, the detailed characterization of the weakly coupled (15)Ns from selective labeling of R71 and Q101 in D75H was precluded by overlap of the (15)N lines with the much stronger ~1.6 MHz line from quadrupole triplet of the strongly coupled (14)N(ε) from H75. Therefore, a reverse labeling approach, in which the enzyme was uniformly labeled except for selected amino acid types, was applied in order to probe the contribution of R71 and Q101 to the (15)N signals. Such labeling has shown only weak coupling with all nitrogens of R71 and Q101. We utilize density functional theory based calculations to model the available information about (1)H, (15)N and (13)C hyperfine couplings for the Q(H) site and to describe the protein-substrate interactions in both enzymes. In particular, we identify the factors responsible for the asymmetric distribution of the unpaired spin density and ponder the significance of this asymmetry to the quinone’s electron transfer function