Spin vectors of asteroids 21 Lutetia, 196 Philomela, 250 Bettina, 337 Devosa, and 804 Hispania

Such parameters as shape, orientation of spin axis, prograde or retrograde rotation are important for understanding the collisional evolution of asteroids since the primordial epochs of solar system history. These parameters remain unknown for most asteroids and poorly constrained for all but a few. This work presents results for five asteroids: 21, 196, 250, 337, and 804

A Short Proof of Increased Parabolic Regularity

We present a new, short proof of the increased regularity obtained by solutions to uniformly parabolic partial differential equations. Though this setting is fairly introductory, our new method of proof, which uses a priori estimates, can be extended to prove analogous results for problems with time-dependent coefficients, transport equations, and nonlinear equations even when other tools, such as semigroup methods or the use of explicit fundamental solutions, are unavailable.Comment: 8 page

Types of verbal interaction with instructable robots

An instructable robot is one that accepts instruction in some natural language such as English and uses that instruction to extend its basic repertoire of actions. Such robots are quite different in conception from autonomously intelligent robots, which provide the impetus for much of the research on inference and planning in artificial intelligence. Examined here are the significant problem areas in the design of robots that learn from vebal instruction. Examples are drawn primarily from our earlier work on instructable robots and recent work on the Robotic Aid for the physically disabled. Natural-language understanding by machines is discussed as well as in the possibilities and limits of verbal instruction. The core problem of verbal instruction, namely, how to achieve specific concrete action in the robot in response to commands that express general intentions, is considered, as are two major challenges to instructability: achieving appropriate real-time behavior in the robot, and extending the robot's language capabilities

A natural-language interface to a mobile robot

The present work on robot instructability is based on an ongoing effort to apply modern manipulation technology to serve the needs of the handicapped. The Stanford/VA Robotic Aid is a mobile manipulation system that is being developed to assist severely disabled persons (quadriplegics) in performing simple activities of everyday living in a homelike, unstructured environment. It consists of two major components: a nine degree-of-freedom manipulator and a stationary control console. In the work presented here, only the motions of the Robotic Aid's omnidirectional motion base have been considered, i.e., the six degrees of freedom of the arm and gripper have been ignored. The goal has been to develop some basic software tools for commanding the robot's motions in an enclosed room containing a few objects such as tables, chairs, and rugs. In the present work, the environmental model takes the form of a two-dimensional map with objects represented by polygons. Admittedly, such a highly simplified scheme bears little resemblance to the elaborate cognitive models of reality that are used in normal human discourse. In particular, the polygonal model is given a priori and does not contain any perceptual elements: there is no polygon sensor on board the mobile robot

Doing Business with a Bad Actor: How to Draw the Line Between Legitimate Commercial Activities and Those that Trigger Corporate Complicity Liability

One of the most complex and highly debated problems in the context of corporate liability for complicity in human ri ghts violations is how to distinguish lawful commercial activities from those that give rise to corporate complicity liability. In many cases in which corporations are accused of aiding and abetting human rights violations, the act of assistance consists of what would usually be regarded as an ordinary and perfectly acceptable business activity, such as providing financing to a government or supplying it with goods or infrastructure. Merely doing business with a bad actor is not sufficient to impose liability on corporations for that actor?s human rights violations, but no clear criteria on what transforms legitimate business transactions into reprehensible acts of complicity exist. This Article approaches the question of determining the relevant liability standards by providing an in-depth analysis of jurisprudence stemming from three different contexts: Alien Tort Statute (ATS) cases on corporate complicity; ad hoc international criminal tribunals on the closely related question of dual-purpose act liability (where the assistance provided could be used for both lawful and unlawful activities); and U.S. criminal cases where the act of assistance consisted of a commercial activity. Jurisprudence stemming from these three different contexts has in common that many courts feel that the generally applicable standards for determining complicity liability need to be adapted and restricted where assistance consists of a commercially motivated or a dual-purpose act. This is largely achieved by requiring either that the assistance reach a certain significance threshold (limitations at the actus reus level of liability), or that the mental state with which it was carried out made the assistance particularly reprehensible (limitations at the mens rea level of liability). In the particular context of corporate complicity liability in human rights violations, academic debate of liability standards largely focuses on whether the relevant mens rea standard should be one of purpose or one of knowledge. While clearly important, this Article goes beyond this question and argues that the mens rea standard cannot be understood and determined in isolation. Without taking a holistic look at all elements of liability and their interaction, it is not possible to sufficiently understand the concerns that triggered adoption of a purpose standard of mens rea, the legitimacy of these concerns, and alternative ways of addressing them. The purpose of this Article is not to present detailed liability criteria that will work equally in all contexts. Rather, it serves the more modest aim of analyzing and drawing conclusions from the implications of different approaches to determining the necessary actus reus and mens rea elements of corporate complicity liability, while recognizing that the details need to be developed with reference to the specific contexts in which the question of corporate complicity liability arises

Drei Monate im Herzen der Europapolitik : Praktikum beim Europäischen Parlament in einem Abgeordnetenbüro

Der Autor berichtet über sein mehrmonatiges Praktikum beim Europaabgeordneten Norbert Glante (SPD) aus Brandenburg. Er skizziert den Parlamentsbetrieb in Brüssel, legt die Licht- und Schattenseiten der Arbeitsbedingungen für Praktikanten und Mitarbeiter dar und erläutert die Aufgaben in einem Abgeordnetenbüro. Als ein Beispiel werden die Verhandlungen um das Rahmenprogramm für Forschung und Innovation „Horizont 2020“ diskutiert. Der Beitrag setzt sich kritisch mit der Stellung des Parlaments im Brüsseler Machtgefüge sowie mit dem Medienecho der EU-Institutionen auseinander