Autonomous Visual Navigation of a Quadrotor VTOL in complex and dense environments

This thesis presents a system design of a micro aerial vehicle platform, specifically a quadrotor, that is aimed at autonomous vision-based reactive obstacle avoidance in dense and complex environments. Most modern aerial system are incapable of autonomously navigating in environments with a high density of trees and bushes. The presented quadrotor design uses leading-edge technologies and inexpensive off-the-shelf components to build a system that presents a step forward in technologies aimed at overcoming the issues with dense and complex environments. Several major system requirements were met to make the design effective and safe. It had to be completely autonomous in standard operations and have a manual override function. It had to have its computational capability completely on-board along with vision processing ability. As such, all state estimation and visual guidance had to be performed on-board the vehicle, removing the need for remote connection which can easily fail in forest-like environments. The quadrotor had to be made from mostly off-the-shelf components to reduce cost and make it replicable. It also had to remain under 2kg to meet Australian commercial aerial vehicle regulations regarding licencing. In order to meet the system requirements, many design decisions were developed and altered as needed. The main body of the quadrotor platform was based on off-the-shelf hobby assemblies. A Pixhawk 2.1 was the flight controller used due to its open-source code and design which included all sensors needed for state estimation, has manual override for control, and control the motors. A leading-edge computational device called the NVIDIA Tegra TX2 was used for vision processing on the quadrotor. The NVIDIA Tegra TX2's embedded NVIDIA Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), is compact and consumes low amounts of power. It also is capable of estimating dense optical flow on the GPU at rates of 120Hz when using a camera that outputs grey-scale images at a resolution of 376x240. The vision processor is responsible for providing directional guidance to the on-board flight controller. A design decision during the project was to include a 3-axis gimbal to stabilise the camera. The quadrotor was shown to be able to hover and locally move both indoors and outdoors using the optical flow measurements. Optical flow measurements give a sense of velocity which can be integrated to get a position estimate, though it was susceptible to drift. The drift was compensated using a combination of recognisable targets and positioning systems such as GPS. The experimental data obtained during the project showed that the algorithms presented in this thesis are capable of performing reactive obstacle avoidance. The reactive obstacle avoidance experiments were performed in both simulation and in real world environments, including the dense forest-like environments. By fusing vehicle speed estimates with optical flow measurements, visible points in 3D space can have their distance estimated relative to the quadrotor. By projecting a 3D cylinder in the direction of travel onto the camera plane, the system can perform reactive obstacle avoidance by steering the cylinder (direction of travel) to a point with minimal interference. This system is intended to augment a point to point navigation system such that the quadrotor responds to fine obstacle that may have otherwise not been detected

Spatiotemporal properties of evoked neural response in the primary visual cortex

Understanding how neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) of primates respond to visual patterns has been a major focus of research in neuroscience for many decades. Numerous different experimental techniques have been used to provide data about how the spatiotemporal patterns of light projected from the visual environment onto the retina relate to the spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity evoked in the visual cortex, across disparate spatial and temporal scales. However, despite the variety of data sources available (or perhaps because of it), there is still no unified explanation for how the circuitry in the eye, the subcortical visual pathways, and the visual cortex responds to these patterns. This thesis outlines a research project to build computational models of V1 that incorporate observations and constraints from an unprecedented range of experimental data sources, reconciling each data source with the others into a consistent proposal for the underlying circuitry and computational mechanisms. The final mechanistic model is the first one shown to be compatible with measurements of: (1) temporal firing-rate patterns in single neurons over tens of milliseconds obtained using single-unit electrophysiology, (2) spatiotemporal patterns in membrane voltages in cortical tissues spanning several square millimeters over similar time scales, obtained using voltage-sensitive–dye imaging, and (3) spatial patterns in neural activity over several square millimeters of cortex, measured over the course of weeks of early development using optical imaging of intrinsic signals. Reconciling this data was not trivial, in part because single-unit studies suggested short, transient neural responses, while population measurements suggested gradual, sustained responses. The fundamental principles of the resulting models are (a) that the spatial and temporal patterns of neural responses are determined not only by the particular properties of a visual stimulus and the internal response properties of individual neurons, but by the collective dynamics of an entire network of interconnected neurons, (b) that these dynamics account both for the fast time course of neural responses to individual stimuli, and the gradual emergence of structure in this network via activity-dependent Hebbian modifications of synaptic connections over days, and (c) the differences between single-unit and population measurements are primarily due to extensive and wide-ranging forms of diversity in neural responses, which become crucial when trying to estimate population responses out of a series of individual measurements. The final model is the first to include all the types of diversity necessary to show how realistic single-unit responses can add up to the very different population-level evoked responses measured using voltage-sensitive–dye imaging over large cortical areas. Additional contributions from this thesis include (1) a comprehensive solution for doing exploratory yet reproducible computational research, implemented as a set of open-source tools, (2) a general-purpose metric for evaluating the biological realism of model orientation maps, and (3) a demonstration that the previous developmental model that formed the basis of the models in this thesis is the only developmental model so far that produces realistic orientation maps. These analytical results, computational models, and research tools together provide a systematic approach for understanding neural responses to visual stimuli across time scales from milliseconds to weeks and spatial scales from microns to centimeters

Dehazing Ultrasound using Diffusion Models

Echocardiography has been a prominent tool for the diagnosis of cardiac disease. However, these diagnoses can be heavily impeded by poor image quality. Acoustic clutter emerges due to multipath reflections imposed by layers of skin, subcutaneous fat, and intercostal muscle between the transducer and heart. As a result, haze and other noise artifacts pose a real challenge to cardiac ultrasound imaging. In many cases, especially with difficult-to-image patients such as patients with obesity, a diagnosis from B-Mode ultrasound imaging is effectively rendered unusable, forcing sonographers to resort to contrast-enhanced ultrasound examinations or refer patients to other imaging modalities. Tissue harmonic imaging has been a popular approach to combat haze, but in severe cases is still heavily impacted by haze. Alternatively, denoising algorithms are typically unable to remove highly structured and correlated noise, such as haze. It remains a challenge to accurately describe the statistical properties of structured haze, and develop an inference method to subsequently remove it. Diffusion models have emerged as powerful generative models and have shown their effectiveness in a variety of inverse problems. In this work, we present a joint posterior sampling framework that combines two separate diffusion models to model the distribution of both clean ultrasound and haze in an unsupervised manner. Furthermore, we demonstrate techniques for effectively training diffusion models on radio-frequency ultrasound data and highlight the advantages over image data. Experiments on both \emph{in-vitro} and \emph{in-vivo} cardiac datasets show that the proposed dehazing method effectively removes haze while preserving signals from weakly reflected tissue.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, preprint IEEE submissio

Adjuvant radiation therapy in metastatic lymph nodes from melanoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Purpose</p> <p>To analyze the outcome after adjuvant radiation therapy with standard fractionation regimen in metastatic lymph nodes (LN) from cutaneous melanoma.</p> <p>Patients and methods</p> <p>86 successive patients (57 men) were treated for locally advanced melanoma in our institution. 60 patients (69%) underwent LN dissection followed by radiation therapy (RT), while 26 patients (31%) had no radiotherapy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median number of resected LN was 12 (1 to 36) with 2 metastases (1 to 28). Median survival after the first relapse was 31.8 months. Extracapsular extension was a significant prognostic factor for regional control (p = 0.019). Median total dose was 50 Gy (30 to 70 Gy). A standard fractionation regimen was used (2 Gy/fraction). Median number of fractions was 25 (10 to 44 fractions). Patients were treated with five fractions/week. Patients with extracapsular extension treated with surgery followed by RT (total dose ≥50 Gy) had a better regional control than patients treated by surgery followed by RT with a total dose <50 Gy (80% vs. 35% at 5-year follow-up; p = 0.004).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Adjuvant radiotherapy was able to increase regional control in targeted sub-population (LN with extracapsular extension).</p

Subsurface scientific exploration of extraterrestrial environments (MINAR 5): analogue science, technology and education in the Boulby Mine, UK

The deep subsurface of other planetary bodies is of special interest for robotic and human exploration. The subsurface provides access to planetary interior processes, thus yielding insights into planetary formation and evolution. On Mars, the subsurface might harbour the most habitable conditions. In the context of human exploration, the subsurface can provide refugia for habitation from extreme surface conditions. We describe the fifth Mine Analogue Research (MINAR 5) programme at 1 km depth in the Boulby Mine, UK in collaboration with Spaceward Bound NASA and the Kalam Centre, India, to test instruments and methods for the robotic and human exploration of deep environments on the Moon and Mars. The geological context in Permian evaporites provides an analogue to evaporitic materials on other planetary bodies such as Mars. A wide range of sample acquisition instruments (NASA drills, Small Planetary Impulse Tool (SPLIT) robotic hammer, universal sampling bags), analytical instruments (Raman spectroscopy, Close-Up Imager, Minion DNA sequencing technology, methane stable isotope analysis, biomolecule and metabolic life detection instruments) and environmental monitoring equipment (passive air particle sampler, particle detectors and environmental monitoring equipment) was deployed in an integrated campaign. Investigations included studying the geochemical signatures of chloride and sulphate evaporitic minerals, testing methods for life detection and planetary protection around human-tended operations, and investigations on the radiation environment of the deep subsurface. The MINAR analogue activity occurs in an active mine, showing how the development of space exploration technology can be used to contribute to addressing immediate Earth-based challenges. During the campaign, in collaboration with European Space Agency (ESA), MINAR was used for astronaut familiarization with future exploration tools and techniques. The campaign was used to develop primary and secondary school and primary to secondary transition curriculum materials on-site during the campaign which was focused on a classroom extra vehicular activity simulation

Emerging themes to support ambitious UK marine biodiversity conservation

Healthy marine ecosystems provide a wide range of resources and services that support life on Earth and contribute to human wellbeing. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are accepted as an important tool for the restoration and maintenance of marine ecosystem structure, function, health and ecosystem integrity through the conservation of significant species, habitats, or entire ecosystems. In recent years there has been a rapid expansion in the area of ocean designated as an MPA. Despite this progress in spatial protection targets and the progressive knowledge of the essential interdependence between the human and the ocean system, marine biodiversity continues to decline, placing in jeopardy the range of ecosystem services benefits humans rely on. There is a need to address this shortcoming. Ambitious marine conservation:• Requires a shift from managing individual marine features within MPAs to whole-sites to enable repair and renewal of marine systems;• Reflects an ambition for sustainable livelihoods by fully integrating fisheries management with conservation (Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management) as the two are critically interdependent;• Establishes a world class and cost effective ecological and socio-economic monitoring and evaluation framework that includes the use of controls and sentinel sites to improve sustainability in marine management; and• Challenges policy makers and practitioners to be progressive by integrating MPAs into the wider seascape as critical functional components rather than a competing interest and move beyond MPAs as the only tool to underpin the benefits derived from marine ecosystems by identifying other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) to establish synergies with wider governance frameworks

National trends in total cholesterol obscure heterogeneous changes in HDL and non-HDL cholesterol and total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio : a pooled analysis of 458 population-based studies in Asian and Western countries

Background: Although high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and non-HDL cholesterol have opposite associations with coronary heart disease, multi-country reports of lipid trends only use total cholesterol (TC). Our aim was to compare trends in total, HDL and nonHDL cholesterol and the total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio in Asian and Western countries. Methods: We pooled 458 population-based studies with 82.1 million participants in 23 Asian and Western countries. We estimated changes in mean total, HDL and non-HDL cholesterol and mean total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio by country, sex and age group. Results: Since similar to 1980, mean TC increased in Asian countries. In Japan and South Korea, the TC rise was due to rising HDL cholesterol, which increased by up to 0.17 mmol/L per decade in Japanese women; in China, it was due to rising non-HDL cholesterol. TC declined in Western countries, except in Polish men. The decline was largest in Finland and Norway, at similar to 0.4 mmol/L per decade. The decline in TC in most Western countries was the net effect of an increase in HDL cholesterol and a decline in non-HDL cholesterol, with the HDL cholesterol increase largest in New Zealand and Switzerland. Mean total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio declined in Japan, South Korea and most Western countries, by as much as similar to 0.7 per decade in Swiss men (equivalent to similar to 26% decline in coronary heart disease risk per decade). The ratio increased in China. Conclusions: HDL cholesterol has risen and the total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio has declined in many Western countries, Japan and South Korea, with only a weak correlation with changes in TC or non-HDL cholesterol.Peer reviewe

Peri-operative red blood cell transfusion in neonates and infants: NEonate and Children audiT of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe: A prospective European multicentre observational study

BACKGROUND: Little is known about current clinical practice concerning peri-operative red blood cell transfusion in neonates and small infants. Guidelines suggest transfusions based on haemoglobin thresholds ranging from 8.5 to 12 g dl-1, distinguishing between children from birth to day 7 (week 1), from day 8 to day 14 (week 2) or from day 15 (≥week 3) onwards. OBJECTIVE: To observe peri-operative red blood cell transfusion practice according to guidelines in relation to patient outcome. DESIGN: A multicentre observational study. SETTING: The NEonate-Children sTudy of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe (NECTARINE) trial recruited patients up to 60 weeks' postmenstrual age undergoing anaesthesia for surgical or diagnostic procedures from 165 centres in 31 European countries between March 2016 and January 2017. PATIENTS: The data included 5609 patients undergoing 6542 procedures. Inclusion criteria was a peri-operative red blood cell transfusion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was the haemoglobin level triggering a transfusion for neonates in week 1, week 2 and week 3. Secondary endpoints were transfusion volumes, 'delta haemoglobin' (preprocedure - transfusion-triggering) and 30-day and 90-day morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Peri-operative red blood cell transfusions were recorded during 447 procedures (6.9%). The median haemoglobin levels triggering a transfusion were 9.6 [IQR 8.7 to 10.9] g dl-1 for neonates in week 1, 9.6 [7.7 to 10.4] g dl-1 in week 2 and 8.0 [7.3 to 9.0] g dl-1 in week 3. The median transfusion volume was 17.1 [11.1 to 26.4] ml kg-1 with a median delta haemoglobin of 1.8 [0.0 to 3.6] g dl-1. Thirty-day morbidity was 47.8% with an overall mortality of 11.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate lower transfusion-triggering haemoglobin thresholds in clinical practice than suggested by current guidelines. The high morbidity and mortality of this NECTARINE sub-cohort calls for investigative action and evidence-based guidelines addressing peri-operative red blood cell transfusions strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02350348