Multi-target detection and recognition by UAVs using online POMDPs

This paper tackles high-level decision-making techniques for robotic missions, which involve both active sensing and symbolic goal reaching, under uncertain probabilistic environments and strong time constraints. Our case study is a POMDP model of an online multi-target detection and recognition mission by an autonomous UAV.The POMDP model of the multi-target detection and recognition problem is generated online from a list of areas of interest, which are automatically extracted at the beginning of the flight from a coarse-grained high altitude observation of the scene. The POMDP observation model relies on a statistical abstraction of an image processing algorithm's output used to detect targets. As the POMDP problem cannot be known and thus optimized before the beginning of the flight, our main contribution is an ``optimize-while-execute'' algorithmic framework: it drives a POMDP sub-planner to optimize and execute the POMDP policy in parallel under action duration constraints. We present new results from real outdoor flights and SAIL simulations, which highlight both the benefits of using POMDPs in multi-target detection and recognition missions, and of our`optimize-while-execute'' paradigm

Venture capital as human resource management

Part of the way venture capitalists add value to portfolio firms is by obtaining and transferring information about senior managers across firms over time. Information transfer occurs on a significant scale and takes place both among a single venture capitalists portfolio firms and between different venture capitalists firms via a network of venture capitalists, which venture capitalists use to locate and relocate managers. We collect and analyze survey data on the operation of this human resource network. Theoretical and empirical analyses indicate that cross-sectional differences among portfolio firms are associated with differences in the intensity with which venture capitalists network. The observable factors relevant in explaining the intensity with which venture capitalists network include: 1) the value of the information transmitted though the network, 2) the riskiness of the activities of the portfolio firms, 3) the size of the venture capital fund, 4) the degree of difficulty in enticing executives to manage portfolio firms, and 5) the reputation of the venture capitalist for successfully recycling managers. We show that each of these factors reflects the costs and benefits to venture capitalists of participating in the network.

Venture Capital as Human Resource Management

Venture capitalists add value to portfolio firms by obtaining and transferring information about senior managers across firms over time. Information transfer occurs on a significant scale and takes place both among a single venture capitalist%u2019s portfolio firms and between different venture capitalists%u2019 firms via a network of venture capitalists, which venture capitalists use to locate and relocate managers. Cross-sectional differences are associated with differences in the intensity with which venture capitalists network. The observable factors relevant in explaining the intensity with which venture capitalists network include: 1) the value of the information transmitted through the network, 2) the riskiness of the activities of portfolio firms, 3) the size of the venture capital fund, 4) the degree of difficulty in enticing executives to manage portfolio firms, and 5) the reputation of the venture capitalist for successfully recycling managers. These factors reflect costs and benefits to venture capitalists of participating in the network.

Advances in Emerging and Neglected Infectious Diseases

Univ Texas El Paso, Dept Biol Sci, El Paso, TX 79968 USAUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Biociencias, Campus Baixada Santista, Santos, SP, BrazilDepartamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Baixada Santista, Santos, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Planning for perception and perceiving for decision: POMDP-like online target detection and recognition for autonomous UAVs

This paper studies the use of POMDP-like techniques to tackle an online multi-target detection and recognition mission by an autonomous rotorcraft UAV. Such robotics missions are complex and too large to be solved off-line, and acquiring information about the environment is as important as achieving some symbolic goals. The POMDP model deals in a single framework with both perception actions (controlling the camera's view angle), and mission actions (moving between zones and flight levels, landing) needed to achieve the goal of the mission, i.e. landing in a zone containing a car whose model is recognized as a desired target model with sufficient belief. We explain how we automatically learned the probabilistic observation POMDP model from statistical analysis of the image processing algorithm used on-board the UAV to analyze objects in the scene. We also present our "optimize-while-execute" framework, which drives a POMDP sub-planner to optimize and execute the POMDP policy in parallel under action duration constraints, reasoning about the future possible execution states of the robotic system. Finally, we present experimental results, which demonstrate that Artificial Intelligence techniques like POMDP planning can be successfully applied in order to automatically control perception and mission actions hand-in-hand for complex time-constrained UAV missions

Détection et reconnaissance de cibles en ligne pour des UAV autonomes avec un modèle de type POMDP

Cet article présente une mission pour la détection et reconnaissance de cibles menée par un véhicule aérien inhabité (UAV) autonome. La mission est modélisée par un Processus de Markov Partiellement Observable (POMDP). Le modèle POMDP traite dans un cadre unique des actions de perception (comme l'angle de prise de vue de la caméra) et des actions qui mènent à l'accomplissement de la mission (changement de zone, altitude de vol, atterrissage). La mission consiste à atterrir dans la zone qui contient une voiture dont le modèle reconnu est celui recherché, avec un état de croyance suffisant. Nous expliquons comment nous avons appris le modèle d'observation probabiliste du POMDP à partir d'une étude statistique des sorties de l'algorithme de traitement d'image. Cet algorithme utilisé pour reconnaître des objets dans la scène est embarquée sur notre UAV. Nous présentons aussi notre cadre \emph{optimize-while-executing}, qui administre un sous-planificateur POMDP pour optimiser et exécuter en parallèle la politique avec des contraintes de temps associées à la durée des actions, et qui raisonne sur les états futurs possibles du système robotique. Finalement, nos résultats expérimentaux sont présentés. Ils démontrent que des techniques d'intelligence artificielle comme les POMDP peuvent être appliquées avec succès pour contrôler automatiquement des actions de perception et d'accomplissement de mission pour des missions complexes en temps contraint pour un UAV autonome

Preparação de sólidos baseados em sílica mesoporosa e metaloporfirinas de Sn(IV) e Al(III) para processos catalíticos heterogêneos de redução e de esterificação

Orientador : Profª. Drª. Shirley NakagakiTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Exatas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química. Defesa: Curitiba, 31/03/2016Inclui referências : f. 88-94Área de concentração : Química inorgânicaResumo: Neste trabalho, foram preparadas pela primeira vez em nosso grupo, metaloporfirinas (MP) com íons SnIV e AlIII. As MP foram preparadas, purificadas e caracterizadas utilizando diferentes técnicas espectroscópicas que confirmaram a obtenção das duas famílias de ligantes porfirinas (2F e 5F), bem como os complexos resultantes da metalação. Os complexos foram imobilizados em diferentes sólidos inorgânicos baseados em sílica preparados pelo processo sol-gel hidrolítico catalisado por ácido, onde a adição do complexo para a sua imobilização ocorreu in situ. Foram preparados também os sólidos de sílica gel revestida com sílica mesoporosa, empregando a estratégia sintética denominada core-shell, onde núcleos esféricos de sílica amorfa foram previamente preparados pelo processo sol-gel básico e posteriormente revestidos com sílica mesoporosa MCM e HMS, preparadas na presença de surfactante apropriado, para a obtenção de cada material mesoporoso. Os sólidos mesoporosos foram previamente funcionalizados com o agente silanizante 3-aminopropiltrietoxisilano a fim de facilitar sua interação com os complexos porfirínicos por interações covalentes. As metaloporfirinas Al5F e Sn5F foram imobilizadas no sólido SiO2@HMS 3-APTS e os materiais obtidos foram caracterizados por diferentes técnicas que confirmaram a imobilização dos complexos. As MP preparadas foram empregadas como catalisadores em processo catalítico homogêneo em reações de redução Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) usando 1-hexanal e isopropanol nas condições 5% m/m:1:4 (catalisador: aldeído: álcool) e em reações de esterificação do ácido acético usando n-octanol nas condições 3% m/m:1:4 (catalisador: ácido: álcool). Além disso, os sólidos preparados resultantes da imobilização dos complexos em suportes baseados em sílica foram empregados em reações de esterificação do ácido acético e o n-octanol em processo catalítico heterogêneo em duas diferentes condições: empregando relação catalisador/ácido 10% m/m e 1:4 (ácido:álcool) e 50% m/m e 1:4. Os resultados catalíticos obtidos nas reações de redução MPV sugerem que não houve formação dos produtos esperados para a reação nas condições investigadas. Contudo, houve formação de um produto desconhecido no meio de reação e mesmo empregando a técnica adequada de análise, não foi possível a sua identificação. Os resultados catalíticos obtidos nas reações de esterificação empregando MP em solução ou imobilizadas observou-se que as condições de reação em que esses catalisadores foram empregados se mostraram ainda inadequadas a sua investigação catalítica. No entanto os resultados obtidos indicaram o melhor desempenho da MP Sn5F em comparação aos outros complexos porfirínicos investigados seja em processo homogêneo ou heterogêneo. No entanto, os testes preliminares do emprego das MP de estanho e alumínio imobilizadas em sílica gel (SGA) e sílica mesoporosa funcionalizada (sólido SiO2@HMS), embora a princípio se mostraram insatisfatórios do ponto de vista de rendimentos de conversão, foram importantes para apontar a influência da escolha do íon metálico, do ligante porfirina e do suporte para a imobilização de catalisadores para reações de esterificação. Tais resultados e sua análise direcionarão os estudos futuros desses sistemas catalíticos em nosso grupo de pesquisa. Paralvras-chave: porfirina, imobilização, catálise, redução Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV), esterificação, sol-gel, sílica mesoporosa.Abstract: In this work (first time in our group) metalloporphyrins of SnIV and AlIII ions were prepared (Al2F - [5,10,15,20-tetrakis (difluorfenilporfirina) AlIII]; Al5F - [5,10,15,20-tetrakis (pentafluorfenilporfirina) AlIII]; Sn2F - [5,10,15,20-tetrakis (difluorfenilporfirina) SnIV] and Sn5F - [5,10,15,20-tetrakis (pentafluorfenilporfirina) SnIV]. The metalloporphyrins were prepared, purified and characterized using various spectroscopic techniques confirmed to obtain the two families of porphyrin ligands (2F and 5F), as well as the resulting complexes of the metalation with the selected metal ions. The obtained complexes were immobilized into distinct classes of inorganic solids based on silica. There were obtained solids resulted by the immobilization of metalloporphyrins on silica, prepared by hydrolytic sol-gel process catalyzed by acid, wherein the addition of the complex for immobilization occurred in situ. They were also prepared solids of silica gel coated with mesoporous silica, employing the synthetic strategy called core-shell where spherical nuclei of amorphous silica had been previously prepared by the basic sol-gel process and subsequently coated with mesoporous silica MCM or HMS also prepared by the sol gel process in the presence of suitable surfactant for obtaining each mesoporous material. The mesoporous materials were functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane in order to facilitate their interaction with porphyrin complexes by covalent bond. The metalloporphyrins Al5F and Sn5F were immobilized on the solid SiO2@HMS 3-APTS and the materials were characterized by different techniques confirmed the immobilization of the complex. The prepared metalloporphyrins have been used as catalysts in homogeneous catalytic process for reduction reactions of Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV), using 1-hexanal and isopropanol under conditions of 5% m/m:1:4 (catalyst: aldehyde: alcohol) and esterification reaction of the acetic acid using n-octanol under the conditions of 3% m/m: 1: 4 (catalyst: acid: alcohol). In addition, the resulting solids prepared by the immobilization of the complex on silica-based supports have also been employed in esterification reaction of acetic acid and n-octanol in a heterogeneous catalytic process in two different conditions: 10% m/m(catalyst solid/acid): 1: 4 (acid: alcohol) and 50% m/m and 1: 4. The catalytic results obtained in the MPV reduction reactions suggest that there was no formation of product expected for the reaction conditions investigated. However, the formation of an unknown product in the reaction medium and even employing the appropriate technical analysis, it was not possible to identify. The catalytic results obtained in esterification reactions employing metalloporphyrins in solution or immobilized, showed that the reaction conditions in which these catalysts were used proved inadequate for their catalytic activity investigation. However the results showed the best performance of metalloporphyrin Sn5F in comparison to other porphyrin complexes investigated in this work in homogeneous or in heterogeneous process. However preliminary catalytic tests using SnIV and AlIII metalloporphyrins in solution or immobilized on silica gel (SGA) and in the solid SiO2@HMS, although the principle proved unsatisfactory from the viewpoint of conversion yields, It was important to point out the influence of the choice of metal ion, the porphyrin ligand and the support for the immobilization of catalysts, to prepare catalyst for esterification reactions. These results and their analysis will direct surely the idealization of future studies of these catalytic systems in our research group. Keywords: porphyrin, immobilization, catalysis, Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction, esterification, sol-gel, mesoporous silica

POMDP-based online target detection and recognition for autonomous UAVs

This paper presents a target detection and recognition mission by an autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicule (UAV) modeled as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP). The POMDP model deals in a single framework with both perception actions (controlling the camera's view angle), and mission actions (moving between zones and flight levels, landing) needed to achieve the goal of the mission, i.e. landing in a zone containing a car whose model is recognized as a desired target model with sufficient belief. We explain how we automatically learned the probabilistic observation POMDP model from statistical analysis of the image processing algorithm used on-board the UAV to analyze objects in the scene. We also present our "optimize-while-execute" framework, which drives a POMDP sub-planner to optimize and execute the POMDP policy in parallel under action duration constraints, reasoning about the future possible execution states of the robotic system. Finally, we present experimental results, which demonstrate that Artificial Intelligence techniques like POMDP planning can be successfully applied in order to automatically control perception and mission actions hand-in-hand for complex time-constrained UAV missions

Marketing sonified fragrance: Designing soundscapes for scent

Auditory branding is undoubtedly becoming more important across a range of sectors. One area, in particular, that has recently seen significant growth concerns the introduction of music and soundscapes that have been specifically designed to match a particular scent (what one might think of as “audio scents” or “sonic scents”). This represents an exciting new approach to the sensory marketing of fragrance and for industries with strategic sensory goals, such as cosmetics. Crucially, techniques such as the semantic differential technique, as well as the emerging literature on crossmodal correspondences, offer both a mechanistic understanding of, and a practical framework for, those wishing to rigorously align the connotative meaning and conceptual/emotional/sensory associations of sound and scent. These developments have enabled those working in the creative industries to start moving beyond previously popular approaches to matching, or translating between the senses, that were traditionally often based on the idiosyncratic phenomenon of synaesthesia, toward a more scientific approach while nevertheless still enabling/requiring a healthy dose of artistic inspiration. In this narrative historical review, we highlight the various approaches to the systematic matching of sound with scent and review the various marketing activations that have appeared in this space recently

Preparação de catalisadores de fase heterogênea baseados em compostos lamelares para utilização em processos catalíticos únicos e sequenciais de oxidação e redução

Orientadora: Prof. Dr. Shirley NakagakiTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Exatas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química. Defesa : Curitiba, 30/03/2020Inclui referências: p. 109-114Área de concentração: Química InorgânicaResumo: Nesse trabalho foram preparados diferentes compostos baseados na imobilização de espécies catalíticas tais como metaloporfirinas e íons tungstato ou molibdato em hidróxidos duplos lamelares (HDL). Esses sólidos foram caracterizados por diferentes técnicas e investigados como catalisadores na reação de oxidação do cicloexano e/ou na reação de redução Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) da cicloexanona ao álcool correspondente, visando sua aplicação como catalisadores na reação sequencial Tandem Assistida. Além disso, foram realizados cálculos teóricos baseados na Teoria do Funcional de Densidade (DFT) visando avaliar se a natureza do contra-cátion (Na+ ou H+) tem influência na atividade catalítica da metaloporfirina imobilizada no HDL. Os resultados dos cálculos teóricos mostraram que a presença do íon H+ como contra-cátion na porfirina pode levar a melhores resultados catalíticos. Os dados obtidos pelo cálculo teórico foram confirmados pelos resultados experimentais obtidos, onde observou-se que o sólido no qual a metaloporfirina continha H+ como contra-cátions foi o catalisador mais eficiente para essa reação de oxidação do cicloexano. Os sólidos onde foram imobilizados os íons tungstato ou molibdato também foram investigados como catalisadores na reação de oxidação do cicloexano. Os resultados catalíticos obtidos mostraram que esses sólidos são capazes de promover a oxidação do cicloexano aos produtos álcool e cetona, e que, portanto, podem ser candidatos promissores como catalisadores para essa reação. Além disso, esses sólidos foram avaliados quanto a sua capacidade de promover a reação de redução MPV entre cicloexanona e isopropanol. Os resultados obtidos para essa reação sugerem que esses sólidos também podem promover a reação de redução da cicloexanona a cicloexanol na presença de isopropanol como doador de hidrogênio. Tendo em vista os bons resultados preliminarmente obtidos tanto na reação de oxidação do cicloexano, quanto na reação de redução MPV, buscou-se otimizar as condições de reação, tanto do ponto de vista da natureza do catalisador quanto das espécies catalíticas envolvidas, visando a aplicação desses catalisadores em reações sequenciais Tandem assistida. Quando o sólido ZA-W1 foi utilizado como catalisador na reação de oxidação do cicloexano em condições otimizadas o resultado obtido foi surpreendente com conversão de aproximadamente 8%. Esse resultado confirmou que esse é um catalisador muito eficiente para essa reação nas condições estudadas. Além disso, foi possível inferir sobre a natureza da espécie catalítica para esse catalisador como sendo baseada na formação de peroxo-complexos oriundos da interação do oxidante H2O2 com os íons tungstato ou molibdato na superfície do sólido. Contudo, os sólidos que continham os íons molibdato não foram ativos para essa reação, principalmente por promoverem a rápida decomposição do oxidante H2O2. O sólido ZA-W1 também foi utilizado como catalisador na reação de redução da cicloexanona a cicloexanol. Observouse que mesmo na presença do oxidante H2O2 no meio de reação, o produto da reação de redução cicloexanol foi obtido. Esse resultado é promissor, monstrando que o sólido sintetizado pode ser investigado como catalisador de fase heterogênea na reação sequencial Tandem assistida, onde a primeira etapa da reação é a oxidação do cicloexano levando a formação do cicloexanol e cicloexanona, seguido pela redução da cicloexanona formada na primeira etapa em cicloexanol após a adição de isopropanol como doador de hidrogênio. Palavras-chave: Porfirina; Catálise; Oxidação; Redução MPV, Hidróxido duplo lamelar; Molibdato; Tungstato; Catálise heterogênea; Tandem Assistida; DFT (Teoria do Funcional da Densidade).Abstract: In this work different compounds based on the immobilization of catalytic species such as metalloporphyrins and tungstate or molybdate ions in layered double hydroxides (LDH) were prepared. These solids were characterized by several techniques and studied as catalysts to the cyclohexane oxidation and/or Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction (MPV) of the cyclohexanone aiming their application in Assisted Tandem reaction. Furthermore, therotical calculations based on the Density Functional Theory (DFT) were made aiming to evaluate if the counterion (Na+ or H+) influences the catalytic activity of the metalloporphyrin immobilized on LDH. The results showed that H+ leads to better catalytic results and this data posteriorly corroborated the experimental results. The solids containing tungstate and molybdate ions were also investigated in the cyclohexane oxidation reaction. The catalytic results obtained showed that the solids can promote the cyclohexane oxidation to the correspondent alcohol and ketone and can be considered as promising candidates for this reaction. Beside that, these solids were evaluated as catalyst in the MPV reduction of cyclohexanone by isopropanol. The catalytic results showed that these solids can also be applied as MPV reduction catalysts. Based on the obtained results in the oxidation rections, an optimization of the conditions was proposed. When the solid ZA-W1 was applied as catalyst under the optimized conditions a conversion result of aproximately 8% was achieved. This result confirms the efficiency of the obtained solid as catalyst in the studied conditions. Besides that, it was possible to have an insight about the involved catalytic species based on the formation of peroxo-complexes originated from the interaction of the H2O2 with the tungstate or molybdates ions in the LDH surface. However, the solids containing molybdate did not showed any activity to the desired reaction and caused quick decomposition of the H2O2. The solid ZA-W1 was also employed as catalyst to the MPV reduction reaction of cyclohexanone to cyclohexanol, and even in the presence of an oxidant (H2O2) the cyclohexanol was obtained, showing another promising feature to the use of this solid as heterogenous catalyst in an Assisted Tandem reaction where the first step consist from the oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone followed by the reduction of the cyclohexanone previously generated after the addition of isopropanol to serve as hydrogen donor. Keywords: Porphyrin; Catalysis; Oxidation; MPV Reduction, Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH); Molybdate; Tungstate; Heterogeneous Catalysis; Assited Tandem; Density Functional Theory (DFT)